Stephen

Yes it would be interesting with the Fenix, three areas are interesting, ToLiSS has done this development for a decade, more importantly are the amazing tools you get with the aircraft, in performance it is perfect, I can't see MSFS matching all three... they will gush when they have no decent comparison.

Aircraft Review : Airbus A320-271N NEO by ToLiSS
 
Just over a decade ago, aircraft in X-Plane mostly consisted of Boeings or American based machines. The problem facing developers was that any Airbus aircraft were extremely complicated, what with their Flight Control Laws, and automated cockpits. You couldn't really create a realistic Simulation in PlaneMaker of these very of European based technology aircraft.
 
Then came a collaboration between QPAC (QualityPark AviationCenter) and Torsten Liesk, a Canadian based developer who wanted to create an Airbus A320 for training purposes. The result was the first authentic X-Plane A320 aircraft in the QPAC A320-323, that project release was back in 2009, with 2d screens and for the first time X-Plane users had access to quality Airbus flying systems, as plugin systems were now available in X-Plane (10) and QPAC took total advantage of the technology.
 
Crude certainly by today's study aircraft, but the core design was correct, and it was very advanced for it's time, if you want a glance at that past, here is the X-PlaneReviews announcement for aircraft; Aircraft Development and Announcement : QPAC A320-232 v2. In May 2014 there was a significant update to v2.02, and it is again well worth browsing the details. Aircraft Update : Airbus A320-232 v2.0.2 Basic by QPAC. The QPAC project was then cancelled in October 2017, but it also left a significant legacy in Simulation for Airbus aircraft, and in X-Plane at that time in being the forefront of Electronic systems and cockpits.
 
Torsten Liesk however went on to create ToLiSS, with the new foundation the developer's fame then rose through Airbus aircraft releases like the A319-112, the A321-231 and lastly the Airbus A340-600. But oddly there was no original redesign of the A320, and the highest selling airliner in the world.
 
The surprise was a announcement of an ToLiSS Airbus A320 back earlier in this year (2023), but the aircraft released is the variant of the A320-271N... or the NEO (New Engine Option), with two engines types provided in the Pratt&Whitney PW1127G (fan - 206 cm),and the CFM-LEAP 1A26 (fan - 198 cm). both engines are GTF "Geared Turbofan", for better performance and fuel economy. There will be no CEO (Current Engine Option), for that you will have go to either to the JARDesign A320, or the FlightFactor A320 Ultimate.
 
Honestly if you are already familiar with both the A319 and the longer A321, then a lot here in the A320neo that is going to be the same, even with the same engines, which can be both added to the A321 via the A321 NEO Upgrade. So cross-cockpit functionality is very easy, certainly from the A321neo version.
 
In 2006 Airbus started the A320 Enhanced (A320E) programme as a series of improvements targeting a 4–5% efficiency gain with large winglets (2%), aerodynamic refinements (1%), weight savings and a new aircraft cabin.
 
Renamed NEO (neo being Greek for "new", as well as an initialism for "new engine option") and re-engined with CFM LEAP scaled-down GEnx engine or the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines and fitted with sharklets as standard. The NEO is 15% to 20% more fuel efficient than prior models, It was launched on 1 December 2010, made its first flight on 25 September 2014 and was introduced into service by Lufthansa on 25 January 2016.
 

 
Outwardly the ToLiSS A320neo is nicely modeled. Earlier or first addition ToLiSS modeling was good, but far from the best in class, but since swapping modelers a few years back then the quality and detail has slowly climbed with each release, the A340-600 was excellent, and slowly the rest of the fleet have all been refined to be the quality products they all are. The NEO is obviously visually more oddly balanced, with those monstrously oversized scaled-down version of GEnx/GTF engines....
 

 
Someone will always pick over the detail of a A320, mostly the unique nose style, but what we have here is good, solid and well done modeling and detail, everything you want in detail is present and correct, this is of course an Airbus Official licensed product so it has to pass a certain grade of quality.
 

 
Wing and forward edge detail is very good. Every developer has their own style, not the extreme of say Rotate, but still quality work you can admire. Flap complexity is also first rate, but you get a clean aircraft..   no heavy dirt or wear and tear here, which is okay on this aircraft.
 

 
Undercarriage in detail is excellent, perfectly formed for all the assembly and links. Tyres are however not as round as they should be, you see the movement when taxiing or when the gear is retracting, as there are too many slabsides to the round. Tyre detail could be better as well.  Interior strut assemblies are however excellent, with great detail of Oleo cylinder, axle beam and hydraulic systems.
 

 
Ditto the complex nosegear, detail and assembles are excellent. All the detail you can admire and look at while doing the walkaround check.
 

 
Doors cover 1R, 2R, 1L (service) and 2L (service), Front and rear main cargo and small rear bulk cargo doors all open.
 
All doors are animated in the three modes, AUTO, OPEN and CLOSED, with still the AUTO as default. Not my favorite ToLiSS feature as they open when you want closed, or closed when you want open, so you have to go around the menu to reset every door to manual, then they flip back to AUTO again? your always at war with your doors?
 

 
There are three new external features! First are animated baggage loaders for the front and rear main holds...
 

 
...  Second are the new animated Catering Trucks, on doors 1R and 2R, DOORS have to be set to OPEN for them to work.
 

 
...   third new feature are the amazing DE-ICING trucks. These animated De-icers spray first the main wings and control surfaces, then move to the tail to do the rear control surfaces and even the rudder, beautifully animated, they are an excellent fun detail to use in cold clime's. I would expect all three of these features to be added to the A319/A321 and the A346 aircraft.
 

 
Oddly there are no forward stairs, of which you really miss, but ToLiSS has noted they are coming soon. There are no visible external GPU and the supplied Air pressure units (High and Low) available on the menu either, there are however chocks.
 
Cabin
In reality it is the standard ToLiSS cabin fitout you use on the A319/A321, no really big surprise there. It is nicely done, if a bit bland in colours, the painters can probably help out here with some Airline flavour. There are a few Airline cabins to be seen later in the review.
 

 
It is very tasteful, but basic. Both forward and rear galleys are well fitted out, and the cabin lighting is controlled by the IACP (Interactive Audio Control Panel), but it is thankfully only standard lighting and not the new rainbow liTeMood® LED cabin lighting with all its bright colours. Window detail is very basic, with no inner surrounds or double perspex windows? as are the passenger upper panels with no lighting of the "Seatbelt", "No Smoking" signs. But overall it is a good cabin.
 

 
Cockpit - Cold
The cockpit is the traditional Airbus blue. Basically it is the standard A320 cockpit, the seats are the same from the A319/A321 with no changes, and both have the animated armrests.
 

 
The panel texture feel is excellent, there is a nice worn/wear effect throughout all the instrument assemblies, all new here, and redone for the A320neo. You notice this effect a lot while flying and it creates a very good ambience in the cockpit, it does however feel more early airbus, than the newer cleaner surfaces you would find on a latest NEO variant.
 
 
 
Cabin - Powered (Hot)
Turn on the battery power supply and you get a "Test" evaluation for 40 secs, then you can set the IRS Alignment. Small details, but very authentic. Mostly you would keep the aircraft in turnaround mode, or here APU+ADIRU ON.
 

 
System depth here is enormous, basically mostly all the A320's systems are simulated, so yes it is a study aircraft, maybe even a bit deeper than that, more importantly the systems are totally authentic. In other words everything is by the book or the Airbus manuals, you feel it, and thankfully ToLiSS provided a lot of information and a flight based tutorial. System depth is highlighted here by being on ground power but the battery supply is switched off, perfectly simulated, "Study" obviously.
 

 
To a point we take a lot of the system detail now for granted, not understanding the complexity and the work to bring us these perfectly tuned machines, dig into the systems and then you realise how really good they are today, we literally have everything at our (mouse) fingertips.
 
Instrument layout is the standard Airbus T Five across One down, or PFD, NAV/MAP each side and the two stacked ECAM (Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor) displays in the centre.
 
Centre Panel has the Backup Instruments, Timer, Brake pressure and Gear lever/indicators. But the lower screens are the CPDLC displays which stands for “Controller Pilot DataLink Connection”.
 

 
The CPDLC system does actually work in the ToLiSS aircraft, but used mainly for On-Line Flying. You require a "Hoppie ID" to use it and to access the ACARS function (Aircraft Communications, Addressing and Reporting System). Also there is the function to print out CPDLC messages and weather reports
 

 
OHP (OverHead Panel) is standard A320 Airbus in layout, as is the central Console. Glareshield Autopilot system - Auto-Flight-System Control-Panel (AFS CP), is again the standard Airbus twin-engine fitout, nothing special, but the system depth is hidden by the basics, and I do like the single dot (push) and twin dot (pull) and mouse scroll manipulator system. 
 


 
The iconic A320 stubby throttles are really well done, as is the now famous Side-Stick "Mon âme", the soul of the A320 aircraft.
 
Early ToLiSS aircraft didn't have a lot of smaller features, which I called "Toys", or things to play with, and you really missed them...
 
...   slowly they are being added in to the ToLiSS fleet, one (or the two here) are the pullout drawers for documents...
 

 
...  second and a new feature for ToLiSS are opening side windows, the small catch (arrowed) allows you to close them again.
 

 
The window blinds, front and side however still don't work, a needed feature, but the open window it is a great step forward.
 
ToLiSS ISCS - Interactive Simulation Control System
The Menu system is a bit more in depth than for just selecting SETTINGS, it is the heart of the ToLiSS way of flying and using the aircraft.
 

 
You can access the ISCS via the banner "Plugins", menu, the other setting option is "Resume from last flight", we will look at that soon. I set the ISCS menu on a key command (key S), this makes it far more accessible and quickly, plus the same command works on any ToLiSS aircraft.
 

 
First surprise is that the ISCS here on the A320neo is different, not the light green shades of before, but now the variations of blue colours. Tabs and layout are however the same as the earlier version, but the colour is far, far better (yes I like the ISCS a lot more), and the menu is also scalable in size, also available in a pop-out Window format.
 

 
There are seven ISCS tabs available covering: Situations A/C Config, Loading Perfo, Ground Services, Faults Scenerios, Addons, Sound/Actions, Joystick and the General Settings Actions.
 
Situations A/C Config
The Config page is used to set up the aircraft with three sections, "Load/Save Situations", "Aircraft Configuration" and "Performance Adjustments"
 
Load/Save Situations is an absolute gem of a tool, basically it is "Save" tool, but it saves EVERYTHING including the important FMS settings and your route, and better still it gives you a backup "Auto-Saving" feature in case X-PLANE does a nasty CTD (Crash to Desktop) or a freeze on you, all the saves are held in the X-Plane Plugin's Folder and not in the A320neo Aircraft folder...  
 
Simply years better than any other save tool in X-Plane it is simply golden to set up or to have your aircraft ready at a certain state of "ready to Flight", helpful if you just want to come back and just fly, then you can save the aircraft situation ready that way...  it is just simply brilliant. The saved situations can be "Filtered" to find certain saved situations if the list is long. AUTO-SAVING time can be set from 1 Min to 30 Min, but every 5 Min is the best compromise. ONE of the biggest features on the aircraft, other developers take note...  WE WANT THIS FEATURE.
 

 
Aircraft Configuration section covers engine selection (AUTO, PW1127G-JM  and CFM-LEAP 1A26), the Auto setting is used with the codes on the liveries (PWG) or (LEA) to automatically set the correct engine type to the livery. Other options include - Use Imperial Units, SATCOM Antenna, ERudder Config, Multi-Functional RWY LT (Switch from standard to wingbox arrangement), Auto NAV on GA (Activates NAV function on Go-Around).
 
Performance Adjustments  cover "Aircraft Age", Engine Age" from NEW to OLD. Note: all the set page settings have to be saved before use.
 
Has BUSS Switches; here you can display switches that allow reverting PFDs to the display of the AoA-based backup speed scale and the GPS based backup altitude individually, they are present next to each PFD.
 

 
ERudder Config - Airbus has replaced the 7 Flight Control Computers (2 ELAC, 3 SEC, 2 FAC) by 4 new generation computers (2ELAC, 2 SEC). This option allows switching between the two configurations.
 
Loading Perfo
This tab covers the "Aircraft Loading" and "CG-CW", Payload, Passenger, Cargo and Fuel which can be set, then added to the MCDU INIT B page values. Fuel loading can be "Quick" or "Slow" (real Time). CG-GW Diagram gives you your Centre of Gravity and Gross Weight limits on a graph. TO PERFORMANCE settings can also be set here.
 

 
Ground Services
This tab covers the external factors on the aircraft. Ground Supplies provides options for "External Power" (GPU) and "High and Low pressure air" to start the engines and provide ventilation/air-conditioning while on the ground. But as noted there are no external physical units, Chocks however are shown.
 

 
But there is a built in PUSHBACK feature...  The pushback is quite basic in look and to use in auto or manual modes. However I always use the excellent BetterPushBack Truck as an alternative. The ToliSS A32oneo has been configured correctly for the BetterPushBack use, so it works extremely well here. Note in watching the pushback operation on the ECAM!
 
New on the right is DEICING...  You can do a "Quick" De-Ice, or use the animated De-Ice Trucks as seen earlier.
 
AIRCRAFT DOORS  have three selections with Auto (default) Close and Open. The auto will open the doors when the park brake is set and the engines are off. But they do have a tendency to be a bit uncontrollable in opening/closing at the wrong times or not opening when you need them to be open. So the manual "Close" is my preference to control them. There is no save selection either and so every time you open the aircraft you have to then (constantly and annoyingly) reset all the doors back to your AUTO preference state, as the default auto setting will always switch and will always have the front left and the two cargo doors open every time you load up the aircraft? Not a fan?
 
New bottom are the two animated "Baggage Loaders" and the two "Catering Trucks", (note the DOOR 1R/2R has to be set to OPEN, for the Catering Trucks to work?).
 
Faults Scenerios
The A320neo has a great failure system, or fault Scenarios. These failures can be set up on the ISCS Panel. This feature is listed under the "FAULT SCENERIOS" tab.
 

 
You can have a total random setting that covers a wide range of 90 faults over twelve systems in "less" or "more" than "100 Flights", or you can set your own failure with the options including: NOW, AT TIME (set time in Seconds from now), AT IAS (Speed), AT ALT (set altitude) or RANDOM, New is the point of failure in Take-Off, Climb, Cruise, Desent, Landing and Flight...    and you can set as many failures as you like.
 

 
Sound/Addon/Accounts
There has been three areas now combined into the one Sound/Addon/Accounts Tab
 

 
Sound Settings; Turbine Sound Studios (TSS) provides the sounds for ToLiSS aircraft, but you can default back to the X-Plane default sound volumes if you wish in controlling a MASTER, INTERNAL and EXTERNAL volume, 3D Sound Fading will silence the PTU and Flap sounds in the cockpit.
 
No ADDONS here, usually for Engine variants, but the standard engine default is you get the GTF versions with the aircraft,
 
ACCOUNT IDS; New are accounts for your SimBrief ID and HOPPIE CPDLC Logon,
 
If you want to use the ACARS function for flight plan download, you can put your SimBrief pilot ID into the field “SimBrief ID”. Important note: This is a pure number, not your SimBrief Email address. You can find this number on the Simbrief Website, under “Dispatch / Account settings” and then in the Simbrief data tab under “Pilot ID”.
 
Ignore AIRAC/AC Type mismatch: If this option is OFF, the flight plan download will fail if the active AIRAC cycle in the FMGS does not match the AIRAC cycle used by Simbrief for planning.
Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief: If you select this option, the cargo, payload and fuel on board in the ISCS will be set immediately to the Simbrief values. Always use SimBrief winds: If this option is selected, any wind request in the FMGS will take the wind data from the Simbrief plan  
HOPPIE option
The option “Auto Execute handovers” allows to switch to the next ATC station automatically upon receiving the “handover” command from your current ATC station without having to notify the new ATC station.
 
Joystick Actions; Joystick Configuration selections options cover the "Primary Joystick", control of NWS (NoseWheel Steering) on/off, Enable Second Joystick (For custom setups like home built panels or training as it supports the use of two sidesticks (pilot and co-pilot side), A dual input and priority logic are also available as on the real aircraft), Tiller Assignment (with Tiller centre setting). (Rudder) Pedal Brakes Assignment with brake strength, Smart Park Brake, Allow Brake on One Pedal, keys F1/F2 Toggle reversers (I use joystick trigger!), "Smart THR Idle Lock" and "Rev on Same Axis"
 

 
Detent calibration; The fields on the right side of this screen are designed to allow quick alignement between hardware detents and software detents. Simply place the hardware thrust levers into the detent that you want to calibrate and read the results.
 
Actions; Include "ADIRU Quick Align", or "Jump to next Waypoint" (Jumps the aircraft a maximunm of 200nm or the next waypoint) "You don't do you!"
 
Clever is the new AUTO-PAUSE
This feature allows the user to leave the computer during a flight and make sure that the simulation pauses automatically if something happens that requires user interaction. The feature allows automatic pausing of the simulation, if:
A master warning is triggered (e.g. due to AP disconnect) A master warning or a master caution are triggered. (Any system fault) A master warning or caution is triggered, or the aircraft has passed the T/D, i.e. has entered the DESCENT phase.  
General Settings; The General Settings tab has five sections in: "Product Info", "Visual Settings", "Startup Behaviour", "User Interface" and "Miscellaneous".
 
Product Info (Information) covers the current build number and version (very Airbus), and License ID
 
Visual Settings include Display (Instrument) reflections, Window Reflections and Screen background Glow. Windshield (Librain) effects and Particle Effects. "Refresh PDF every X Cycles" This is an option for the weak graphic card users, in that instead of the heavy use every cycle to refresh the system displays, you can set the cycles to be redrawn either every 2nd or 4th cycle.
 
Startup Behaviour sets the aircraft to a certain startup situation (known as Cold or Hot), options include: OVHD XP Start. Cold Start Type in COLD+DARK, EXT POWER (connected) and really all on with APU+ADIRU ON. Default Baro in either HPA or InHG (note you can also have the choice to SYNC or adjust manually the separate PFD Baros). Finally you can set your own default "Transition Altitude".
 

 
User Interface is options on how you interact with the aircraft. Options include: Use Mouse wheel, Sync Baro Settings, Pop-out windows for Pop-ups and you can save your set Pop-Up configuration (Cockpit builders) on Quit.
 
Miscellaneous
ILS auto align is a feature that if the custom scenery that rotates the runway; for these cases the ILS and the runway are not aligned anymore. The ToLiSs A320 plugin thereby contains a feature that detects if there is such custom scenery installed and then realigns the ILS in the internal database with the new runway heading.
 
XPDR Compatiblility Mode, is the use of different transponder modes. Cache Routes only on Startup, prevents the plugin from checking for changes to your fms flight plan files during the flight.
 
Enable AviTab Tablet, The AviTab tablet is installed on the lower left of the Pilot and usable if you have the AviTab plugin set in your plugin folder and acts like the EFB (Electronic Flight Bag).
 
Again remember you have to save any Settings and Default values for them to be effective and in some instances a restart is required to activate a setting.
 
Avitab- EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)
There are two Avitabs situated on the sills on both sides of the cockpit...  if you have a Navigraph account, you can access the Navigraph Charts, tools and other features on the A320neo.
 
 
 
Besides the AviTab EFB there are now four new other tab options...   WGT-BALANCE, TO PERF, LDG (Landing), PERF and CHECKLIST
 

 
There is a lot of performance data here to be used, and all are at your finger tips, includes; Weight summary, Take-off weight and the landing weight with CG, landing performance calculator and a very good tick (Green) Checklist.
 

 
Interactive Audio Control Panel (IACP)
There is another menu access system situated on the Radio Panel, called the "Interactive Audio Control Panel" (IACP). This feature gives you finger access to an item in a more pop-up accessible form...  two options are MECH or five ground communication tabs; SERVICES, PUSHBACK, FUEL/DEFUEL, CARGO HANDLING and DEICING. 
 


 
Second IACP option is ATT selection covers Cabin interaction; DOORS, PASSENGERS and CABIN LIGHTING...
 

 
....   Cabin Lighting adjustment is great because it gives you control over the brightness of the cabin lighting, I really don't like bright cabins, and worst with no way to tone them down.
 
ACARS - Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System
ToLiSS aircraft comes with the ACARS function, used as noted earlier with the CPDLC. But it has another function here in the ability to download the FlightPlan from Navigraph's Simbrief. The tool was introduced on the ToLiSS Airbus A340-600 v1.1, since then also updated to the rest of the ToLiSS fleet (A319/A321) and so it is a big feature in the A320neo as well. A full tutorial in how to use it was covered in Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiSS...  but we will do a brief overview here to see how it works.
 
SimBrief
Remember that you have to complete your SimBrief Pilot ID in the ISCS (SOUND/ADDON/ACCOUNTS). Then the "Data" link has to be opened by pressing the COMMS VHF 3 button the Radio panel. Also important is to set the "Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief", option ON, if not you will have to set up the aircraft fuel and weight options separately.
 

Then complete and generate your SimBrief flight profile, note you use the Aircraft Type A20N, for NEO, not the A320-200. Our route today is easyjet EC453 from LEBL (Barcelona) to LCLK (Larnaca, Cyprus).
 
Select INIT REQUEST (Make sure the asterisk is showing that the data link is live), then the Simbrief Flight Briefing should load into the MCDU, It does two loads, so don't close it to quickly, as it takes real time to load, when data is uploading it will say "PERF DATA UPLINK".
 

 
Next is to set your Departure RWY/SID/VIA and Arrival RWY/STAR/VIA . When done you can then set the TO-PERFORMANCE data via the TO-DATA REQUEST, sometimes it is best to do it manually as it is far quicker and more accurate, the data is found on the ISCS (TO PERFORMANCE) option.
 

 
Brilliant isn't it, makes aircraft set up and ready for flight a very easy job, but mostly it saves tons of time, your flying time. 
 
The New option on the EFB can give you your now set WGT - BALANCE situation, and also available is your TO-PERF data, you press the ""COMPUTE" button to set out the TakeOff data, including your V markers set out on a runway map....  all so fantastic isn't it.
 

 
And your all ready to go.
 

________________
Flying the ToLiSS A320neo
Pushback from Stand 222 Barcelona, notable is that I'm using the BetterPushBack plugin, the ToLiSS aircraft does have a built in PUSHBACK feature, but the BPB is better and has even been refined by ToLiSS for use in the A320neo, note the N/W STEERING alert on the lower ECAM display while the pushback is in operation.
 

 
Pushback completed, I got an "Alert Warning", my Trim was not set correctly? or in Airbus speak "F/CTL PITCH TRIM/MCDU/CG DISAGREE",
 

 
This alert shows the depth of the system detail in ToLiSS aircraft, yes as noted it is a "Study", aircraft, so it is best to study up on the details, and in how to fix alerts such as this one. And this alert only came up after the engines were powering the systems. I can't even begin to cover all the systems here, but only to note on how extensive and authentic they are.
 
We are now in X-Plane 12r3 (or Release 3). Thankfully the more mature version. One aspect of that is the developers can now fine tune areas that were a bit of mess before. Lighting is a big one. Here the external lighting, Turnoff/Taxi/Landing lighting is now nicely tuned...
 

 
...  but there is a choice in external lighting, first the usual underwing landing lights and forward gear turnoff lights, or second with both sets combined on the centre wing box, or "Multi-Functional RWY LT".
 

 
Taxiing is being aware of the nose gear having a slower response in movement, something you had to adjust to as far back as the QPAC A320, so you have to anticipate turns to get it right, it soon becomes natural, but you still have to adapt to it.
 

 
Ready to go on LEBL Runway 06L (note in X-Plane it will sometimes say 07L, with the magnetic variation, depending on your AIRAC).
 
TakeOff weight is 71,114 Kg, with a fuel load of 13,700 Kg to get me to Cyprus, but my main concern is the east gusty crosswind of 13 kts, straight off the Balearic Sea.
 
Power up to TO/THRUST and your rolling... The CFM-LEAP 1A26 give out 120.64 kN (27,120 lbf) Takeoff thrust, plenty of power and you feel it.
 

 
v2 (Rotate) is 152 +10, but on clearing the runway I feel that gusty wind, so I'm already crabbing a little with a lot of right foot rudder and a bit less right engine power to keep the aircraft on course...  My point here is the feel, it is so brilliant, you feeeeel this aircraft so well, flying it as per recommendations, or realistically, it is a brilliant simulation of a A320neo.
 
 
 
All Airbus "Flight Control Laws" are in action here, there are four named flight control laws, however alternate law consists of two modes, alternate law 1 and alternate law 2. Each of these modes have different sub modes: ground mode, flight mode and flare, plus a back-up mechanical control.
The flight mode of normal law provides five types of the aircraft's flight envelope protection: pitch attitude, load factor limitations, high speed, high-AOA and bank angle. Flight mode is operational from take-off, until shortly before the aircraft lands, around 100 feet above ground level. It can be lost prematurely as a result of pilot commands or system failures. Loss of normal law as a result of a system failure results in alternate law 1 or 2
 
in normal law vertical side stick movement corresponds to a load factor proportional to stick deflection independent of aircraft speed. When the stick is neutral and the load factor is 1g, the aircraft remains in level flight without the pilot changing the elevator trim.
 
Engine Thrust Management is covered by the engine control law, so you have to follow the SPEED commands, or shift the throttles to the required A/THR detent, or first the CL (Climb detent)...  Set FLEX mode can also be used. It's all an awareness of Airbus system flying.
 

 
Sounds like mentioned are good, and cover a wide spectrum...  so your not missing anything here on the basics, and the GTF whine is nicely done in flight. However I am very used to the BSS (BlueSkyStar) PRO Packages that is available for the FF Airbus A320 Ulitmate. I mean 500+ sounds, that is hard to emulate, and the package is extremely good, if BSS do release a A320neo pack, then it would be certainly be a good investment.
 

 
In the air, and in X-Plane 12...  it's a great combination! 
 

 
In the pilot's seat, it's a pure A320 environment, everything works and this is the office, only complaint are the non-usable blinds, both the forward and side screens don't work. Yet X-Plane 12 is glaring up here at FL380. 
 

 
Lighting
Over the last few months of the X-Plane 12 beta, internal lighting was hard to define, bloated text and dark cockpits were not the best places to live. In the ToLiss A320neo the Instrument panel is glorious, highly adjustable as per Airbus lighting knobs, no bloated text either... all nice and sharply clear.
 

 
But you are missing the downlights in the daytime, this makes the instrument panel a bit dark in the daylight. The X-Plane 12 Lookup/Lookdown adjustment works well here, but the panel down-lighting would have broken up the gloom a little.
 

 
DOME lighting has three settings; OFF, DIM and BRT (Bright), all very good...
 

 
But missing are a few lighting areas...  there are no overhead tray lights, or side lights, the reading light doesn't work either? OHP ANN LT test is excellent, very realistic. Dark Cockpit mode for night TakeOff and Landings is also excellent...  an important one for me, I hate any overhead lighting reflecting on me when I need to see out of the aircraft...  impressed.
 

 
The cabin lighting is very good, as you have a large adjustment on the IACP of the lighting from OFF (dark) to Full Bright.
 

 
OFF is BLACK, nothing, and there are no separate galley lighting points either, which would be nicely needed. So you set it around 10% which is a nice low-light cabin ambience.
 

 
External lighting is excellent. Navigation and Strobes are perfect, wing(Ice) lights are also well done. Tail light works, but only when the flaps are not set to zero as per Airbus rules.
 

 
As you can adjust the cabin lighting, you don't get that Ocean Liner effect, so the aircraft looks highly realistic at night.
 

 
Off the coast of Greece....
 
Performance; Seating is One class 195, Two class 165, with a cargo capacity of 37 m3 (1,300 cu ft) - Cruise: Mach 0.78 (450 kn; 833 km/h), Max.: Mach 0.82 (473 kn; 876 km/h) - Ceiling 39,100–39,800 ft (11,900–12,100 m) - Range 6,500 km / 3,500 nmi
 

 
There is a New feature from ToLiSS called the EQUI - TIME POINT, found under DATA lower RK6. ETP (Equal Time Point), which is basically the point at which it'll take a shorter time to continue to the next suitable diversion airfield than to turn back to the last one. Mostly used on ETOPS routes and over oceans for diversion actions.
 
Liveries
You basically only get two liveries with the package; ToLiSS House livery, and the official Airbus A320 NEO House livery...
 

 
But the painters will be taking up their paints very quickly...  Christoph_T, Emma Bentley and Matt Hayward are the main official contributors (Thanks to Matt for the easyjet Livery), Another is a very nice "MakeChange", Austrian Airlines by clemacamelc, and the cabin details show what you can do to hide the bland default cabin (Yes I take a bow for the applause).
 

 
Let us put it this way, you won't be short of liveries, they can be found at the X-Plane.Org; ToLiss/Aircraft Skins/Liveries, a paintkit is also available here; Paintkit;ToLiSS A320 Neo v1.0
 

 
Approaching Cyprus from the west, and you set your landing PERF on the MCDU, then you can access the information on EFB (LDG PERF) for a visual and data reference...  yes I like it very much. 
 

 
Over Cyprus and the weather report is not good, with low cloud to 2,000ft, and yes rain.
 

 
X-Plane 12 has the Librain effects built in, and they work well here, front and side windows, but you get nothing on the cabin windows, another "but" will come later.
 

 
ILS S into Runway 22 is a tricky loop, first you overfly Larnaca International (112.80 LCA), then head west to the tight turn into the ILS (ILC-110.30)...
 

 
...  then you set up the aircraft ready for landing, gear, lights, arm spoilers. The turn is extremely tight at the top...
 

 
...  X-Plane 12 is literally DAZZLING, brilliant!
 

 
Coming out of the turn your numbers have to be exactly right, Flap 3, 170 knts and the height perfect around 2,000ft...
 

 
...  when you come out of the turn and straighten up the vertical ILS diamond is right there on the ILS beams activate line, so you approach height has to be perfect, as does your speed. I get it perfectly right and hit the slope automatically. You can fly an Airbus A320 manually, the normal law allows this, so this approach can be done hands on, which would mostly be the case in real world flying. Up comes the rain again, but the wipers don't clear the streaks, and in the bright sunlight it makes it very hard to see the runway?
 

 
With the strong headwind I could do a nice 140 kts approach at FULL flap, now you can let the aircraft do the automatic "Autoland" sequence...  airbus style.
 

 
I'm extremely impressed with X-Plane 12 at the moment, it gives you a great all weather simulation, certainly in the atmosphere and effects, not perfect, but now very good. Airbrakes and  AUTO/BRK (MED) worked very well on touch-down and with a nicely noisy, landing configuration which was very good in detail.
 

 
Coming into RWY 22 I couldn't see "anything"? then on the ground the wipers suddenly started to clear the water? A Laminar Research issue or a Developer issue?, but you need those wipers working on the final approach!
 

 
The adrenalin kick from Simulation flying is when it all goes perfectly correct, your skills interacting with the aircraft....
 

 
...  more importantly the aircraft doing "exactly" what you are asking it to do, then you get into the flow, then you get the high rush....  Here it all works perfectly, a great simulation, but a brilliant aircraft Interpreting your commands and wishes, you get that and more with this ToLiSS A320 NEO.
________________
 
Summary
ToLiSS was the part of the 2009 original collaboration with QPAC to create the first X-Plane A320 simulation with realistic Airbus Flight Control Laws, and automated cockpits. Since then the developer has gone on to creating the best Airbus aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator, with the A319-112, the A321-231 and lastly the Airbus A340-600. Here is a return to his roots, but with a slight twist with the Airbus A320 NEO, as the release is only with the NEO (New Engine Option) with the two engines types provided in the Pratt&Whitney PW1127G and the CFM-LEAP 1A26. One engine is scaled-down version GEnx engine (LEAP), the PW a GTF "Geared Turbofan", for better performance and fuel economy. No CEO (Current Engine Option) will be offered.
 
Modeling and design is very good, but early ToLiSS didn't have the extensive extreme quality you can now expect in this category, but with a change of a modeller a few years back, now in every area the detail and quality is highly improved, and certainly now matching the high quality Airbus Official systems and for the excellent flying feedback of the aircraft. This ToLiSS is absolutely the best of it's category and class.
 
That said I'm not crazy about the lumpy tyres, and in areas the lighting could be better, with missing tray spotlights, rear reading lights and no separate galley lighting, no window blinds is highly noticeable at altitude, cabin lighting however is highly adjustable.
 
System wise the ToLiSS A320neo is the best in X-Plane (all ToLiSS aircraft are), with all Airbus Flight Laws and Protections highly intergrated, with the authentic engine control laws. If you want to fly the automated Airbus you can, but if you want to dig deeper into the "Study" aspect of Airbus Philosophy. Then that aspect is also very highly available here, so both Pro's and Newcomers to the Airbus way of aviation can be easily satisfied here.
 
Innovation in Simulation is also available with the ToLiSS A320neo. The ToLiSS ISCS - Interactive Simulation Control System is far more than a menu, it provides tools and options that are truly remarkable. The LOAD/SAVE Situation tool is a godsend for any Simmer... saving perfect situations to return ready for flight or even an unexpected simulator crash, I was back up and flying perfectly in minutes after a bad scenery crash, this shows the tool's peerless power. SimBrief intergration can load in the "Full" data brief into the aircraft's systems, another huge time saver. Fault Scenerios are also excellent as are aircraft configurations. AUTO-PAUSE, this feature allows the user to leave the computer during a flight to do a pause in three alert scenerios. Sounds are by Turbine Sound Studios, good but not BSS quality.
 
The ACARS function is fully intergrated with the CPDLC system , but really only available to on-line fliers with the HOPPIE network, but very good it is.
 
New to ToLiSS on the A320neo are ground equipment Baggage Loaders and Catering Trucks, and the sensational animated De-Icing Trucks, but still no stairs (coming) or GPU/AIR. Opening Side Windows and the Electronic FLight Bag EFB tools for WGT-BAL, TO PERF, LDG PERF, and extensive built in CHECKLIST. The "Interactive Audio Control Panel" (IACP) has also been extended to include both Ground and Cabin tabs with excellent cabin lighting adjustment.
 
The list can go on, and on...  but notable is the X-Plane 12 version in using the X-Plane features, an X-Plane 11 version is included in the package, but that would takeaway a lot of the dynamics and the immense fun this aircraft has to offer by using the X-Plane 12 environment.
 
The level required in this category of simulation is very high, but the ToLiSS A320NEO delivers superlative performance in every area, certainly in systems and innovation...  ToLiSS stands for brilliant Simulation, even sets the standards for the X-Plane simulator, and here available for X-Plane 12...    "Hugely Recommended".
_____________________
 

 
Yes! the Airbus A320 NEO by ToLiSS is NOW currently available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Airbus A320 NEO
Price is US$89.99
 
The feature list is HUGE!
Highlights: Brand new cockpit textures optimized for X-Plane 12 Choice of 2 engine types: PW1127G-JM and CFM LEAP1A26 Custom EFB with Avitab integration, weight and balance computer, take off and landing performance as well as interactive check list ACARS functionality: SimBrief flight plan import directly into the FMGS, TO Performance computations and wind upload. Hoppie CPDLC and PDC functionality including weather download from the Hoppie network Implementation of over 130 circuit breakers to cut power to certain systems. More than 210 failure modes that can be injected, including “resettable” failures. Can still run in X-plane 11 with most of these features, except for the XP12 specific rain effects Reversable back up speed scale (BUSS) 1. Highly complex FMGS: SID/STAR and airways support in a fully custom FMGS backbone supporting all A424 leg types (Arc, course or heading to intercept, Radius to Fix, Holdings, etc.) Active, alternate, 2 temporary as well as secondary flight plans 2 completely independent MCDUs and autopilots Pilot item database for custom fixes, navaids, flight plans and runways Full VNAV guidance with TOC, TOD, Deceleration point, speed limits, fuel prediction, and consideration of speed and altitude constraints etc. Support for go-arounds and diversions Step altitudes Offset function Direct To function including abeam points, radial in and radial out Hold function including computed and database holds as well as pilot defined holds Satellite availability model, including prediction for specific places and times Nav Aid autotuning Flight plan saving via the Pilot routes page Equitime point computation Nearest airports page Airways function including automatic computation of intersection point between two airways Fix info functionality to create reference circles or bearings ACARS function to simulate flight plan, TO Data and Wind upload from ground station using SimBrief data. SLS/GLS and FLS type approaches RNP-AR capability 2. Accurate systems: ToLiss Fly-by-wire and autopilot module, with support for Alternate and Direct Law Unique feature: Control Surface hinge moment modelling allows the surfaces to float to the appropriate position after loss of all actuators on a surface or to not reach full deflection if running on a single actuator. fault injection interface allowing to inject custom selected failures, or randomly selected failure based on fault probabilities with over 210 failure modes available. Custom TCAS with resolution advisory function. Terrain on ND and Weather radar available (WX radar works with default X-plane weather engine) Brake temperature model based on the detailed physics of heat transfer between the individual brake components Hydraulics model with proper hydraulic flow computation as function of surface motion, flap/slat motion, gear extension etc. You will see this by the pressure dropping when flying on RAT Custom engine model for accurate thrust and fuel flow modelling including oil pressure and temperature model as well as many engine failure modes. Thrust and fuel flow modelled for each engine type. Special engine logics, such as dual cooling on the PW1127G engine, are also modelled. Detailed model of each ADIRU including alignment, small pressure sensor differences between the units, switching of sources for PFDs and Aps Quantitative bleed system modelling affecting engine fuel flow Electrical system simulation with correct bus reconfiguration and load distribution, simulated electrical transients as well as emergency generation from the blue hydraulic system. Fire detection simulation for engines and APU Custom radio navigation computations including ability to perform backup RADNAV tuning through the RMPs Custom air conditioning model supporting high altitude operations at airports like Cusco in Peru or La Paz in Bolivia without spurious warnings Flight warning system with ECAM actions supporting numerous system failure scenarios, e.g. engine failures, generator failures, hydraulic failures. Custom indicating system including DMC and SDAC simulation. Choice between Multifunctional runway lights or the classic landing light configuration. 3. Eye- and ear-candy: Detailled 3D cockpit Opening side windows Animated tray tables Moving cockpit seats Animated ground services for refuelling, pushback and deicing as well as cargo baggage loaders 3d exterior model with PWG and LEAP engine Custom sounds from Turbine Sound Studios (TSS) included for all engines Integration of X-plane 12 native rain effects. 4. Useability features: Situation loading and saving. It is possible to save the flight at any point in time and resume it another day. This can also be used, e.g., to save the position just before approach and practice just the approach many times. This feature reinstates the complete aircraft state (except communications with ATC, such as AOC and CPDLC messages or ground service states.) Autosaving allows recovering where you left off, should the X-Plane session end unexpectedly. Jumping waypoint-to-waypoint through the cruise phase: Shorten your flight to focus on the more interesting parts as you like. Integrated takeoff performance calculator supporting the use of flex temperature. 4 different start-up configurations from Cold and Dark to engines running and ready to go In-screen popup displays or use of x-plane windows for popups Interactive audio control panel to change ground services, fuel, loading, passengers etc. without breaking immersion Electronic flight bag on both sides with Avitab integration, weight and balance computation, take-off and landing performance calculator as well as a user customizable interactive checklist. Print function for AOC messages, CPDLC messages and selected FMGS functions  
Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows , Mac (requires use of Rosetta on M1/M2 Macs with X-Plane 12)or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 745 MB Version 1.0 (March 20th 2023)   Installation Download of the Airbus A320 NEO is 705.50mb and it is installed in your Airliner Folder as a 1.19Gb folder. On start up you will have an activation screen presented to enter your Serial Number (Key), and then press the "Activate" bar to authorise the aircraft. I recommend to restart the aircraft from your desktop to realign all your plugins and load the aircraft cleanly.     There is extensive full instructions on how to set up the aircraft to your X-Plane settings (commands) and addons (Joysticks/Throttles) and other 3rd Party items in the ToLiSS A320 NEO V1.0_SimulationManual.   Documents There are Three Manuals Included with the package. All are extensive and well laid out with great details   Simulation manual : Describes installation, and setup of the model as well as usage of the “Interactive Simulation Control System”. Tutorial flight, which provides a step-by-step description of a complete flight from cold & dark to aircraft shut-down after landing. This is the best manual to learn flying the aircraft. Aircraft manual, which is primarily intended as a reference after the tutorial has been completed. It provides a reference for standard operating procedures, as well as a more in- depth look into the different systems of the aircraft.  
Extra Airbus system information is highly recommended and SMARTCOCKPIT is a great place to start.
_____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
20th March 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane Version 12.04r3
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- LEBL - Barcelona XP by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$27.99
- Barcelona City by Logo Projects - (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$26.95
- LCLK - Larnaca International, Cyprus by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.90
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Aircraft Review: AOASimulations-T6A Texan II X-Plane 12
 
By Stuart McGregor
 
Introduction
The release of the AOA T-6A Texan ll was done in the change over twilight zone of a legacy version with its ground-breaking advancements that was achieved with X-Plane 11, which essentially is at the end of its commercial run, and the eagerly awaited X-Plane 12, which still had some way to go until it is in its final release state in December 2023. For us armchair pilots this can be a little frustrating in our 365, 24/7 on-the-go world, where patience isn’t a commodity you see a lot of these days, so I can only imagine the dilemma this gives commercial developers. Do you wait until all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed in X-Plane 12, or do you continue creating and releasing in X-Plane 11, knowing the platform has been superseded by its younger brother? 

AOA Simulations decided not to wait to bring us their ‘Texan’, the T-6A Texan II. The aircraft was released for X-Plane 11, with a commitment of a free upgrade to X-Plane 12 for existing users when the simulator upgraded to the new version. That X-Plane 12 release has now happened, and to top off the T-6A package you get both versions for X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.

In real life, the Texan is described as a single-engine turboprop aircraft and has been around since the late 1990s. It has been used as a training aircraft by several military organisations around the globe and more than 850 have been built to date. From what I have read, it is still very much the mainstay of the United States Air force and Navy when it comes to pilot training.
 

 
It has a low wing cantilever design with the majestic Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68 1100 hp engine, tandem seating arrangement with ejector seats to allow the flight instructor and trainee to live every moment together, all topped off with a hefty four-blade constant speed, variable pitch prop. The Texan also has a retractable tricycle landing gear assembly, with many of the features being based on the original development aircraft, the Pilatus PC-9. However, don’t be fooled, because the Texan is indeed a very different aircraft in many ways. To explain this in greater detail, the AOA Simulations folks have included a very nice reference document in the manuals section of their package that describes the Texan’s development journey. This is well worth a read to see just how much it has changed from the original Hawker Beechcraft development PC-9. I personally always like additional features like this because in my opinion they bring a greater level of depth to the user experience and allow a more immersive environment when you know a bit about the aircraft, its history and how it came into being.
 

 
Documentation
I will be honest and say that military jets and combat aircraft are not an area I typically venture into very often, so when I had the opportunity to try out what looked a bit like a fighter jet with a prop on its nose, I was intrigued to find out more. My GA side was screaming, “Oh yes please!”
 
The package in review comes in a 360MB download with the aircraft itself and a couple of liveries, as well as a few added extras in terms of documents. In the Manuals folder, you will find an alternative abbreviated checklist (X-Checklist plugin is required) to the one provided by default, a paper kneeboard checklist you can print, emergency procedures, a training flight tutorial with charts (KNGP to KRND), pictorial overviews of flight instruments, and if you are a MAC user, there is an explanation of a workaround if you experience issues when you first load the model.
 

There is also a highly detailed 38-page User Guide to take you through every inch of the aircraft and that is a must-read if you really want to get the most out of the Texan. The developer has also included some contact details and links of where to request help if you get stuck. Sadly, I can’t offer any comment on how successful the MAC workaround is, as I use a PC, however it looks like the developer has put some serious thought into the issue which is good to see.
 

 
The Aircraft
The developers quote that their Texan has been in development since early 2020 and clearly a huge amount of work has gone into the aircraft. You get a real sense of the details and the hours of work by just reading the manual alone, so I believe it is fair to say that the Texan really does come fully loaded. 
 
 

 
I loved the fact that both the front and rear cockpits are fully functional, thus providing a unique flying experience from each seat, and it was nice to be able to have the choice. The internal details in both cockpits are well presented and bristle with features. The texturing is of high resolution and high quality, and I found reading the various dials and panels to be of no issue, even in VR, when using my Rift S. The developers even quote that the Texan has been optimised to maximise performance in VR, and I would have to admit, that when using my system, I had no issues and enjoyed a very smooth experience.
 

 
When you first step into either cockpit, it is a bit daunting if you’re not used to military-style aircraft, however, the automated tutorial-level Checklist provided is very useful when navigating around the various systems. In my tests, I probably only scratched the surface of the instrument capabilities of the Texan, and you literally could spend hours and hours just working through your flows and testing out every feature, switch, lever, knob, button, panel, and fuse. As far as I could tell, everything shown works or is at least animated. If you are used to flying fast jets, I am sure the layout will come very naturally to you, however, I must admit it did take me a little time to work my way around.
 
By the way…the ejection seat does work, so be careful with that handle!!!
 

 
The unobstructed view that the glass canopy offers, is truly excellent, particularly in VR, and you really get a sense of just how compact and well-fitted everything is around you. The feeling of being in the cockpit was something I really enjoyed, and as I mentioned previously, just moving a few feet back to sit in the rear seat, adds a totally different dimension to the experience. The Texan comes with specially created FMOD sounds and the cockpit interaction sounds were nicely done, from the very subtle fuse click actions to the more distinct canopy locking mechanism.
 

 
From the X-Plane main menu bar, you can access the dust lock removal option, as when in cold and dark, there are several covers protecting sensitive parts of the aircraft. Even these covers are well modeled, as they sway gently in the wind, a very nice touch and great attention to detail. From the outside when the canopy is open in cold and dark, there are no pilots visible, however, they both appear when closing the cockpit and removing the dust covers. The characteristic turbine whine as the engine starts up is very nice, and you really do have the sense of that mighty Pratt and Whitney engine roaring into life right beside or in front of you. As you move around the exterior of the aircraft, the engine tone changes as you would expect, and this is particularly noticeable when you throttle forward and set the Texan into action. The sense of power from the 1100hp engine and prop thrashing through the air as you accelerate down the runway is something you must experience to really appreciate it.
 

 
The exterior details of the Texan are superb in my opinion and incorporate very high-quality textures, such as the hydraulic lines in the landing gear, through to the multitude of rivets across the shiny aircraft skin. During prefight, it is worth just taking a few minutes to walk around the aircraft and take in the quality of the modelling, and this is particularly impressive if you can do this in VR. You can literally walk up to the various parts and take a good look, reach out and almost touch the surfaces. There is a significant difference between the X-Plane 11 release version and the X-Plane 12 here. You will see far more detail added, and the surfaces are more highlighted than before, the result is a  substantial and better overall realism to the aircraft.
The developers really have done a wonderful job both inside and out, and in my opinion, the Texan is one of the best in terms of overall appearance, although I do still think it is a little bit of an oddball with the fighter-style canopy, dual seating arrangement, and that big old prop at the front. It does take a little bit of getting used to at first. 
 

 
Now, if you’re anything like me, when you get a new toy, the first thing you want to do is to try it out, so the thought of working through a full set of start-up procedures may not be top of your list. The good news is that very early on, the developers thought of us “impatient types”, and kindly provided a very nice simple 11-step process on page 5 of the User Guide to get up and flying, and this is very helpful. Now don’t get me wrong, at times there is a real sense of satisfaction about going through every step of your flow and eventually seeing the ground disappear below, however, at times I just want to start up and off I go. I like the fact that in the Texan you can do both and I did, although I must admit that just firing up and heading down the runway was my preference. This is perhaps a suitable time to mention that I am using a VKBSIM joystick and pedal set as my control inputs, and I found these to work very well both on the ground and in the air. As there are no toe-brakes with these pedals, I did use a small script to give me brakes and this worked well, although there is a stick forward option that you can use within the aircraft if you prefer. I had no complaints about the handling of the Texan, although care with the throttle is highly advised both when taxiing and when taking off. There is a mighty amount of power at your fingertips, so my advice is to use it wisely. As they say, ‘with great power comes great responsibility…’ and never a truer word was said in the Texan’s case. Remember this thing can do more than 300 knots when flat out!!
 

 
The glass canopy really does give an amazing view, particularly in VR, however, if you are using flat screens the developers have included a couple of highly novel add-on features to enhance your views in the cockpit. The manual goes into quite some detail to explain what you can expect; however, the best way is just to try them out. These are actioned via buttons on the glare shield and using dedicated buttons on your controller, and the ‘Roll to See’ feature allows you to pan around while taxiing, as well as some interesting effects when doing aerobatics. The Target Track feature allows you to lock on to AI aircraft if you are flying in formation (a key skill by all accounts) and if you are familiar with other aircraft from AOA Simulations, you are likely to be at home with this feature already. As I do most of my flying in VR, these features are disabled so I didn’t spend a huge amount of time testing them out, however from what I did see, this is quite unique and adds another and different layer of immersion to the Texan. 
 

 
One final system feature I would like to highlight is the Flight Assistance system which allows various assistance features to be turned on and off. The button is a bit fiddly to find (highlighted in the manual on page 11) however there are eleven different features such as AOA indexer and brake cues, airspeed indication of gear and flap speed bands, wind direction and speed, through to braking using the control stick and many more. The basic idea is to make life as easy as possible for any newbie pilot or as realistic as possible by switching this off for those who would like more of a challenge. When you are new to an aircraft, this sort of thing really does help, as there is nothing worse than getting frustrated and giving up before you have even started.
 
The lighting is basic, mostly indirect lights on the the panels and the two side wall lights on the separate consoles. You can move the instrument panel spot lights to where you want them to shine on. Externally the landing and taxi lights don't work unless you lower the gear, as they are positioned on the inner gear struts.
 

 
As I mentioned earlier, the Texan is fully loaded with so many great details and features, and although this type of aircraft is not necessarily my “go-to” happy place in the sky, the more I flew it the more I came to appreciate just how good an offering this is from AOA Simulations, both in terms of the basic aircraft but also just how enjoyable the overall flying experience can be. If you also like lots of technical details, procedures and everything that goes with that side of things, then again, I believe the Texan has something to offer you. 
 

 
Final Thoughts
The T-6A Texan II from AOA Simulations, under normal circumstances, is an aircraft I wouldn’t typically be flying, however, I am glad I had the opportunity, as it’s always good to try something new.

When you factor in the excellent internal and external textures, the 3D modelling, the control and integration of features, the sounds, and of course the flying experience, I think it’s fair to say that the AOA team really has put out an excellent product. Available now for both X-Plane 11, and to be experienced in X-Plane 12, all the new features in the sim in combination with the Texan’s feature set, it is something quite special. A real synergistic masterpiece…

So, should you splash out $40 on the Texan? Well as always that is down to you, your budget and what you are looking for. However, I truly believe that the Texan is well worth thinking about, especially if you have considered the fast jet challenge but have not been sure where to start. 

If it’s good enough for real-world pilots, then it certainly works for me!
__________________________________
 

 
The T-6A Texan II by AOA Simulations is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
T-6A Texan II
Price at time of writing US$40.00
 
Features:
This model was developed using the official USAF 1T-6A-1 Flight Manual and SNFO (Student Naval Flight Officer) P-880 Aircraft Systems explanatory guide. Two default liveries, USAF and U.S. Navy TAW-5. 17 additional liveries will be available on the X-Plane.org freeware download manager. This is the T-6A model with federated (many small units combined into one system) glass display panels. The project has been in development since February 23, 2020 and is our most detailed model to date. The Model
High quality 3D model with high-resolution, 4K PBR textures. Fully functional virtual front and rear 3D cockpits with more than 380 control manipulators. Everything works, fly from either cockpit. Both pilot and instructor models visible in cockpit views. Optimized to save FPS in VR. Ground equipment
The Flight model Fully aerobatic, high performance dynamic flight model tested and approved by several former T-6A pilots. Single “Power Lever” control of engine and propeller enables "jet like" simplicity. Unique T-6 Trim Aid Device (TAD) is accurately modeled. This compensates for most engine torque effect with automatic rudder trim.  Sounds
Professional FMOD sound package by SimAccoustics Documentation
Detailed 38 page User Guide and detailed avionics illustrated guide sheets available HERE ON OUR SUPPORT PAGE prior to purchase. Several checklists options to choose from including detailed checklist powered by Xchecklist freeware plug-in. Tutorial checklist and example Training Flight to get you up to speed with the aircraft.  More details
All panel displays are accurately modeled and powered by SASL plugin / lua code Complete electrical systems model. Every circuit breaker on both the battery and generator bus panels is functional. Individual systems can be isolated, failed and restored via its cockpit circuit breaker. Optional "AOA Extras" for student pilots or those who want to know a little more about what's going on with while the fly.  Save load feature allows you to save some options once and they are the same on your next flight in the model. Default Laminar G1000 available to use with a custom database in the panel mounted GPS unit. Future developments
 This model is for X-Plane 11 only. It is not compatible with X-Plane 12. When X-Plane 12 is stable then a new version will be released as a free upgrade for existing users.  
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 or 11
4 GB VRAM Video Card Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 360 MB Current version: xp12 (March 1st 2023)    
Review System Specifications:
Windows 10 64 Bit
CPU Intel i9-9900k
64GB RAM
Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti
Oculus Rift S
 
Aircraft Review by Stuart McGregor
3rd March 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) 
 

 

Aircraft Update Review : McDonnell Douglas MD-11 v1.07 by Rotate
 
Nearly one year ago in March 2022, Rotate released their second major aircraft release after their well renowned McDonnell Douglas MD-80. This was the most anticipated release of the year, four years in development, and even by X-Plane standards that is a long time.
 
With such extreme expectations the release of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, the iconic Tri-Jet was always going to be controversial. My first flights on the beta aircraft confirmed the worst, it was an extremely complicated machine, as the design straddled the era between the earlier 1970's analog dial, to the current glass computerised cockpits we fly today. The flight profiles were extremely complicated, as was the aircraft's management systems, it made a "Study" aircraft more like a university degree, and it took me a few weeks to work it all out, worse was that many users became fixated on the last quality MD-11 that was released for Flight Simulator a decade before, very good in it's time, but not relevant to the Rotate MD-11. basically though, for anyone one not prolific in heavy aircraft systems and new to flying heavies, the Rotate MD-11 was always going to be a mountain to climb.
 
For a comprehensive look at the aircraft, here is the X-PlaneReviews review of the release; Aircraft Review : McDonnell Douglas MD-11 by Rotate
 
Yes there were a lot of bugs in the MD-11 original release. From updates v1.0 to v1.04 the lists were endless...  but by the time the Skunkcrafts Updater was added in September 2022 (beta access was also introduced). The focus on updates then went to X-Plane 12, just released in the same September...  Basically then the last two up dates with v1.05 (October) and v1.06 (December) were focused on X-Plane 12.
 
This brings us to v1.07 (beta) currently, and this version can only be accessed via the beta channel in the Skunkcrafts updater. Note that both the "updater.cfg files, the main cfg one and the "_beta" one as well, are both required to update to v1.07.
 
v1.07 is in reality the X-Plane 12 release of the Rotate MD-11 aircraft. It is now fully compatible with X-Plane 12. And a lot of the detail in v1.07 is related to that aspect.
 

 
In updates, oddly it is sometimes the smallest annoyances that you want fixed...  this annoyance was a blinder, in betterpushback.
 
Set the aircraft up for flight, that is twenty minutes of your life, then do the betterpushback...  and suddenly the aircraft went into a violent circular spin, burning out the front tyres in doing so. To get out of the drama you had to reset the aircraft, but you lost your perfect setup. As expected I hated it. Now it has been fixed in v1.07 and your set up is kept intact, including your tyres. But currently it all works, but the front wheels now don't turn, the aircraft does, so expect another update there. When loading the MD-11 won't beg up on it's tail anymore, but stay level and flat, this weird X-Plane 12 bug seems to affect a lot of heavy aircraft.
 

 
On the pushback I was very impressed with the rain effects. With X-Plane 12 you get a conversion of the old Librain plugin, most developers don't adjust the effects, but the swishing and pushing of the rain on the window by the wipers here was very effective, a small detail but an important one from Rotate.
 

 
If you love heavies, then this MD-11 is a large aircraft that defines the category. Chunky, massive to taxi. Notable is the excellent wing detail, forward leading edge spoilers, and the complex flap system...  It took four years to create, so revel in the work.
 

 
My initial flight in the "Diva" was back in X-Plane 11. This release is certifies the aircraft in X-Plane 12, honestly the biggest plus+feature here, is the MD-11 in the new X-Plane 12 version, as it is glorious to look at, notable you do get a few anti-aliasing marks along the leading edges, and the cockpit instrument surrounds, but the textures here are extreme quality 4K, so until X-Plane 12 is adjusted to the cope with excessive texture sizes, then they will show more anti-aliasing jaggies here than many other aircraft, tuned, it is going to be very, very good.
 

 
One thing you will notice straight away is the XP12 MD-11 is far less dirty...  Rotate has reduced the dirty engine smoke effect, which I wish they hadn't, as the dirt represents the period past, I never saw the MD-11 as clean aircraft, and so it feels far too clean now.
 


 
Wingflex has also been adjusted to be more realistic, an interesting point when you can step back from the initial development, then fine tune these more specific areas.
 

 
Landing gear bogies have also had the same refined attention. The outer mains have had their tilt reduced, to only a slight tilt, not as dramatic, but more realistic to the real MD-11...  just check out the videos. Center landing gear geometry has also been fine-tuned.
 

 
Over the year, there has been a lot of bug fixes and adjustments to the FMS, noted as the Operative Flight Management Computer.
 
It is a very good FMS system, very deep and detailed, it has also had a lot of attention over the past year, and again here with v1.07.
 
SID/STAR procedures LNAV display and guidance have had attention, as has again (and again) the LNAV trajectory calculations. Users had a fixation of the aircraft's projected curves at a waypoint turn, obsessive even. Personally I never saw this aspect on the MAP display or with the actual maneuver in flight...  but still they go mad on about it?
 

 
More items include VNAV flight path calculations and guidance, and now you have an Implemented flight path interception after early descent command. There are also Improved deceleration distance calculations and better deceleration distance calculations. And there was also a bug now fixed on the AIRWAYS page.
 
X-Plane 12 differences include; CG Calculation and a new GO AROUND page on the FMS. This feature can only be accessed when the TO/APPR is in APPROACH mode (or close to the arrival airport). The K6R key gives you access to the GO-AROUND approach page...
 

 
...  this page will give you the GO-AROUND mode settings and parameters, a nice new detail. Included now also are slope/wind FMC fields in Situations presets.
 
Finally ILS selection is now by frequency in NAV/RAD page. This one is interesting as the selection of ILS selections can be quite large, and you need the ILS Designator code to find it, sometimes it is easier to set the ILS code closer to the arrival airport as it moves closer to the top of the list
 

 
There is better throttle and reverser hardware configuration, which is now more user friendly. A lot of addons didn't reflect the aircraft, and a lot of work has gone in to making sure the interaction is now more easier, and there is now support for better throttle beta/reverse axis configuration. In the same sphere, the brake commands and toe-brakes will now work together. But you still can't unlock the parking brake from a default command, a small annoyance, but you will get used to it...  also there is the ghosting on the throttles in AUTO-THROTTLE mode, which I find annoying, and there is no selection to turn it off? However keeping your addon throttles at the full MAX position will keep them to a minimum.
 

 
Now that X-Plane 12 (slightly) more mature, the developers can try to get the lighting more realistic. When a pro developer gets it right, then you see the ambition of X-Plane 12's lighting effects. Here it is excellent. Thankfully adjustment is very easy via the twin OHD panel knobs and the single instrument panel knobs, there is also the side (Briefcase) pilots seating lights and the usual STORM (THNDSTRM) and DOME lighting. 
 

 
Low reflection TakeOff and Landing adjustments are excellent, for a good external view. But the rear cabin/rest area is still completely dark? A needed function as you do a lot of overnight flying in this intercontinental MD-11. I'd like a working toilet as well if possible?
 
Externally it is very good as well, as the lighting is nicely defined... no landing or taxi lighting in the wings on a MD-11, as they are positioned on the fuselage. Navigation, Strobe (HI-INT), Wing & Runway Turnoff and LOGO are all (really) well done.
 

 
The first update to configure the MD-11 when X-Plane 12 was released, also created probably the worst blackhole aircraft in X-Plane, it was a total blackout in here. Now it is a very nice space to be in. Controversial is the effect of the change of lighting, from the darker front screen view to the "look down", brighter cockpit view. Myself I love it, it works and it feels very natural. You spend a lot of flying hours in here, and you don't want it to grate on your nerves, for me as a well confessed "Hauler", the Rotate MD-11 is probably currently the best Long Haul Freighter you can fly in X-Plane.
 

 
Note the sharp light silhouettes, the lines are clean and no (if very fine) jaggies. So the cockpit environment is now excellent, yes i'm impressed.
 
There has not been a lot of changes around the instruments. However there are few to mention. The  Flight Mode Annunciator (FMA) has had the FMA modes adjusted during descent and approach. The navaids auto-tuning system had a few issues that have been fixed. Heading Bug indicator in LOC mode and ARC commands have also both been fixed. The TCAS symbol is now within the the confines of the ND as is finally the ND aircraft icon during TRK mode is now correctly visible.
 

 
As i mentioned earlier, the real star of this release is X-Plane 12. You take the two elements of a far more featured Simulator, then add in a sensationally developed aircraft and you get the serious wow factor. In a way this combination shows you the future of X-Plane in both a complex aircraft and a very good simulator environment. Flying from one end of the Mediterranean Sea and back to the other, it was a sensational simulation, I have never in a long time been so enthusiastic in my flying. All I wanted to do was to do it again....  maybe again after that, as this combo really delivers.
 

 
Look out of your windows at the glorious scenario... the towering cloud formations!
 

 
This is not X-Plane 11 bland anymore, this is X-Plane 12 spectacular. Admittedly X-Plane 12 is not yet perfect, but the dream is happening, and the future is now here...  Fly the Rotate McDonnell Douglas MD-11 in X-Plane 12 and live the dream...  I did.
______________
 
Summary
Released just under a year ago in March 2022. The Rotate McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was a complex and buggy aircraft. With a year of numerous updates from v1.0 to v1.06, here is the official update in v1.07 to X-Plane 12.
 
Overall this v1.07 update is just another long bug and fix update. There is nothing here in real new features or details, although the GO-AROUND mode page is new. Everything else here is X-Plane 12 refined, from the details to the internal and external lighting, various FMC refinements as is also the PFD and ND/MAP display bugs and fixes, the full effect of both the refinements and the use of X-Plane 12 cannot be underestimated here, it is spectacular outcome, one very much worth experiencing. And thankfully the betterpushback atrocity has also been fixed, it won't destroy your aircraft anymore!
 
A few points are more wishes...  Key input to open the menu. Wanting to load, then unload the same cargo at the other end would be nice (Cargo disappears when the doors close?), upgraded rear cabin area with toilet and lighting... some users ask for the passenger MD-11 version, personally I'm not fussed. VR (Virtual Reality) still needs a few areas addressing.
 
Reading through this update review, you are going to think if purchasing the aircraft if it is just too far in it's complexity. I'm not going to waver from the fact that this is noted as a "Study" aircraft, yes you need a skills and heavy aircraft skills to fly it. But once you understand the systems and preferences, it is a brilliant aircraft to fly, so it is well worth investing your time to learn and master the MD-11. The refinement now coming into the aircraft actually makes it easier to fly, because the aircraft does what you want it to do, and does it well, I think the MD-11 has hit a mature level with all the work put in, I rarely had any issues...  understand the MD-11 and enjoy the immense rewards the aircraft delivers...  the best aircraft in X-Plane 12 at the moment? That aspect is always debatable, But Rotates MD-11 is certainly currently my best simulation aircraft, addictive and rewarding.
_____________________
 

 
Yes! the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 v1.07 by Rotate is currently available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

Rotate MD-11
Price is US$83.95
 
The feature list is HUGE, so if you want to read it, then open the text file.
Feature List.txt
 
Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows 8 or  Mac OSX 10.12 or newer (using Rosetta for ARM Processors) , Linux Ubuntu 64b 18.04 or newer 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM recommended Current version: 1.07 (March 5th 2023)   Currently the v1.07 update is only available for download using the Skunkworks Updater, the "beta" selection also needed to be selected.  
Designed by Rotate
Support Forum at X-Plane.org or http://support.rotatesim.com/
 
Full v1.07 changelog is here;
MD 11 v1.07 Changelog.txt
_____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
10th March 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane Version 12.04r3 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- LIRF - Airport Rome XP  by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$25.99
- LLBG - Airport Ben Gurion XP by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$24.99 - Full review availble here: Scenery Review : LLBG - Airport Ben Gurion XP by Aerosoft
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Aircraft Review: AOASimulations-T6A Texan II X-Plane 12
 
By Stuart McGregor
 
Introduction
The release of the AOA T-6A Texan ll was done in the change over twilight zone of a legacy version with its ground-breaking advancements that was achieved with X-Plane 11, which essentially is at the end of its commercial run, and the eagerly awaited X-Plane 12, which still had some way to go until it is in its final release state in December 2023. For us armchair pilots this can be a little frustrating in our 365, 24/7 on-the-go world, where patience isn’t a commodity you see a lot of these days, so I can only imagine the dilemma this gives commercial developers. Do you wait until all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed in X-Plane 12, or do you continue creating and releasing in X-Plane 11, knowing the platform has been superseded by its younger brother? 

AOA Simulations decided not to wait to bring us their ‘Texan’, the T-6A Texan II. The aircraft was released for X-Plane 11, with a commitment of a free upgrade to X-Plane 12 for existing users when the simulator upgraded to the new version. That X-Plane 12 release has now happened, and to top off the T-6A package you get both versions for X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.

In real life, the Texan is described as a single-engine turboprop aircraft and has been around since the late 1990s. It has been used as a training aircraft by several military organisations around the globe and more than 850 have been built to date. From what I have read, it is still very much the mainstay of the United States Air force and Navy when it comes to pilot training.
 

 
It has a low wing cantilever design with the majestic Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68 1100 hp engine, tandem seating arrangement with ejector seats to allow the flight instructor and trainee to live every moment together, all topped off with a hefty four-blade constant speed, variable pitch prop. The Texan also has a retractable tricycle landing gear assembly, with many of the features being based on the original development aircraft, the Pilatus PC-9. However, don’t be fooled, because the Texan is indeed a very different aircraft in many ways. To explain this in greater detail, the AOA Simulations folks have included a very nice reference document in the manuals section of their package that describes the Texan’s development journey. This is well worth a read to see just how much it has changed from the original Hawker Beechcraft development PC-9. I personally always like additional features like this because in my opinion they bring a greater level of depth to the user experience and allow a more immersive environment when you know a bit about the aircraft, its history and how it came into being.
 

 
Documentation
I will be honest and say that military jets and combat aircraft are not an area I typically venture into very often, so when I had the opportunity to try out what looked a bit like a fighter jet with a prop on its nose, I was intrigued to find out more. My GA side was screaming, “Oh yes please!”
 
The package in review comes in a 360MB download with the aircraft itself and a couple of liveries, as well as a few added extras in terms of documents. In the Manuals folder, you will find an alternative abbreviated checklist (X-Checklist plugin is required) to the one provided by default, a paper kneeboard checklist you can print, emergency procedures, a training flight tutorial with charts (KNGP to KRND), pictorial overviews of flight instruments, and if you are a MAC user, there is an explanation of a workaround if you experience issues when you first load the model.
 

There is also a highly detailed 38-page User Guide to take you through every inch of the aircraft and that is a must-read if you really want to get the most out of the Texan. The developer has also included some contact details and links of where to request help if you get stuck. Sadly, I can’t offer any comment on how successful the MAC workaround is, as I use a PC, however it looks like the developer has put some serious thought into the issue which is good to see.
 

 
The Aircraft
The developers quote that their Texan has been in development since early 2020 and clearly a huge amount of work has gone into the aircraft. You get a real sense of the details and the hours of work by just reading the manual alone, so I believe it is fair to say that the Texan really does come fully loaded. 
 
 

 
I loved the fact that both the front and rear cockpits are fully functional, thus providing a unique flying experience from each seat, and it was nice to be able to have the choice. The internal details in both cockpits are well presented and bristle with features. The texturing is of high resolution and high quality, and I found reading the various dials and panels to be of no issue, even in VR, when using my Rift S. The developers even quote that the Texan has been optimised to maximise performance in VR, and I would have to admit, that when using my system, I had no issues and enjoyed a very smooth experience.
 

 
When you first step into either cockpit, it is a bit daunting if you’re not used to military-style aircraft, however, the automated tutorial-level Checklist provided is very useful when navigating around the various systems. In my tests, I probably only scratched the surface of the instrument capabilities of the Texan, and you literally could spend hours and hours just working through your flows and testing out every feature, switch, lever, knob, button, panel, and fuse. As far as I could tell, everything shown works or is at least animated. If you are used to flying fast jets, I am sure the layout will come very naturally to you, however, I must admit it did take me a little time to work my way around.
 
By the way…the ejection seat does work, so be careful with that handle!!!
 

 
The unobstructed view that the glass canopy offers, is truly excellent, particularly in VR, and you really get a sense of just how compact and well-fitted everything is around you. The feeling of being in the cockpit was something I really enjoyed, and as I mentioned previously, just moving a few feet back to sit in the rear seat, adds a totally different dimension to the experience. The Texan comes with specially created FMOD sounds and the cockpit interaction sounds were nicely done, from the very subtle fuse click actions to the more distinct canopy locking mechanism.
 

 
From the X-Plane main menu bar, you can access the dust lock removal option, as when in cold and dark, there are several covers protecting sensitive parts of the aircraft. Even these covers are well modeled, as they sway gently in the wind, a very nice touch and great attention to detail. From the outside when the canopy is open in cold and dark, there are no pilots visible, however, they both appear when closing the cockpit and removing the dust covers. The characteristic turbine whine as the engine starts up is very nice, and you really do have the sense of that mighty Pratt and Whitney engine roaring into life right beside or in front of you. As you move around the exterior of the aircraft, the engine tone changes as you would expect, and this is particularly noticeable when you throttle forward and set the Texan into action. The sense of power from the 1100hp engine and prop thrashing through the air as you accelerate down the runway is something you must experience to really appreciate it.
 

 
The exterior details of the Texan are superb in my opinion and incorporate very high-quality textures, such as the hydraulic lines in the landing gear, through to the multitude of rivets across the shiny aircraft skin. During prefight, it is worth just taking a few minutes to walk around the aircraft and take in the quality of the modelling, and this is particularly impressive if you can do this in VR. You can literally walk up to the various parts and take a good look, reach out and almost touch the surfaces. There is a significant difference between the X-Plane 11 release version and the X-Plane 12 here. You will see far more detail added, and the surfaces are more highlighted than before, the result is a  substantial and better overall realism to the aircraft.
The developers really have done a wonderful job both inside and out, and in my opinion, the Texan is one of the best in terms of overall appearance, although I do still think it is a little bit of an oddball with the fighter-style canopy, dual seating arrangement, and that big old prop at the front. It does take a little bit of getting used to at first. 
 

 
Now, if you’re anything like me, when you get a new toy, the first thing you want to do is to try it out, so the thought of working through a full set of start-up procedures may not be top of your list. The good news is that very early on, the developers thought of us “impatient types”, and kindly provided a very nice simple 11-step process on page 5 of the User Guide to get up and flying, and this is very helpful. Now don’t get me wrong, at times there is a real sense of satisfaction about going through every step of your flow and eventually seeing the ground disappear below, however, at times I just want to start up and off I go. I like the fact that in the Texan you can do both and I did, although I must admit that just firing up and heading down the runway was my preference. This is perhaps a suitable time to mention that I am using a VKBSIM joystick and pedal set as my control inputs, and I found these to work very well both on the ground and in the air. As there are no toe-brakes with these pedals, I did use a small script to give me brakes and this worked well, although there is a stick forward option that you can use within the aircraft if you prefer. I had no complaints about the handling of the Texan, although care with the throttle is highly advised both when taxiing and when taking off. There is a mighty amount of power at your fingertips, so my advice is to use it wisely. As they say, ‘with great power comes great responsibility…’ and never a truer word was said in the Texan’s case. Remember this thing can do more than 300 knots when flat out!!
 

 
The glass canopy really does give an amazing view, particularly in VR, however, if you are using flat screens the developers have included a couple of highly novel add-on features to enhance your views in the cockpit. The manual goes into quite some detail to explain what you can expect; however, the best way is just to try them out. These are actioned via buttons on the glare shield and using dedicated buttons on your controller, and the ‘Roll to See’ feature allows you to pan around while taxiing, as well as some interesting effects when doing aerobatics. The Target Track feature allows you to lock on to AI aircraft if you are flying in formation (a key skill by all accounts) and if you are familiar with other aircraft from AOA Simulations, you are likely to be at home with this feature already. As I do most of my flying in VR, these features are disabled so I didn’t spend a huge amount of time testing them out, however from what I did see, this is quite unique and adds another and different layer of immersion to the Texan. 
 

 
One final system feature I would like to highlight is the Flight Assistance system which allows various assistance features to be turned on and off. The button is a bit fiddly to find (highlighted in the manual on page 11) however there are eleven different features such as AOA indexer and brake cues, airspeed indication of gear and flap speed bands, wind direction and speed, through to braking using the control stick and many more. The basic idea is to make life as easy as possible for any newbie pilot or as realistic as possible by switching this off for those who would like more of a challenge. When you are new to an aircraft, this sort of thing really does help, as there is nothing worse than getting frustrated and giving up before you have even started.
 
The lighting is basic, mostly indirect lights on the the panels and the two side wall lights on the separate consoles. You can move the instrument panel spot lights to where you want them to shine on. Externally the landing and taxi lights don't work unless you lower the gear, as they are positioned on the inner gear struts.
 

 
As I mentioned earlier, the Texan is fully loaded with so many great details and features, and although this type of aircraft is not necessarily my “go-to” happy place in the sky, the more I flew it the more I came to appreciate just how good an offering this is from AOA Simulations, both in terms of the basic aircraft but also just how enjoyable the overall flying experience can be. If you also like lots of technical details, procedures and everything that goes with that side of things, then again, I believe the Texan has something to offer you. 
 

 
Final Thoughts
The T-6A Texan II from AOA Simulations, under normal circumstances, is an aircraft I wouldn’t typically be flying, however, I am glad I had the opportunity, as it’s always good to try something new.

When you factor in the excellent internal and external textures, the 3D modelling, the control and integration of features, the sounds, and of course the flying experience, I think it’s fair to say that the AOA team really has put out an excellent product. Available now for both X-Plane 11, and to be experienced in X-Plane 12, all the new features in the sim in combination with the Texan’s feature set, it is something quite special. A real synergistic masterpiece…

So, should you splash out $40 on the Texan? Well as always that is down to you, your budget and what you are looking for. However, I truly believe that the Texan is well worth thinking about, especially if you have considered the fast jet challenge but have not been sure where to start. 

If it’s good enough for real-world pilots, then it certainly works for me!
__________________________________
 

 
The T-6A Texan II by AOA Simulations is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
T-6A Texan II
Price at time of writing US$40.00
 
Features:
This model was developed using the official USAF 1T-6A-1 Flight Manual and SNFO (Student Naval Flight Officer) P-880 Aircraft Systems explanatory guide. Two default liveries, USAF and U.S. Navy TAW-5. 17 additional liveries will be available on the X-Plane.org freeware download manager. This is the T-6A model with federated (many small units combined into one system) glass display panels. The project has been in development since February 23, 2020 and is our most detailed model to date. The Model
High quality 3D model with high-resolution, 4K PBR textures. Fully functional virtual front and rear 3D cockpits with more than 380 control manipulators. Everything works, fly from either cockpit. Both pilot and instructor models visible in cockpit views. Optimized to save FPS in VR. Ground equipment
The Flight model Fully aerobatic, high performance dynamic flight model tested and approved by several former T-6A pilots. Single “Power Lever” control of engine and propeller enables "jet like" simplicity. Unique T-6 Trim Aid Device (TAD) is accurately modeled. This compensates for most engine torque effect with automatic rudder trim.  Sounds
Professional FMOD sound package by SimAccoustics Documentation
Detailed 38 page User Guide and detailed avionics illustrated guide sheets available HERE ON OUR SUPPORT PAGE prior to purchase. Several checklists options to choose from including detailed checklist powered by Xchecklist freeware plug-in. Tutorial checklist and example Training Flight to get you up to speed with the aircraft.  More details
All panel displays are accurately modeled and powered by SASL plugin / lua code Complete electrical systems model. Every circuit breaker on both the battery and generator bus panels is functional. Individual systems can be isolated, failed and restored via its cockpit circuit breaker. Optional "AOA Extras" for student pilots or those who want to know a little more about what's going on with while the fly.  Save load feature allows you to save some options once and they are the same on your next flight in the model. Default Laminar G1000 available to use with a custom database in the panel mounted GPS unit. Future developments
 This model is for X-Plane 11 only. It is not compatible with X-Plane 12. When X-Plane 12 is stable then a new version will be released as a free upgrade for existing users.  
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 or 11
4 GB VRAM Video Card Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 360 MB Current version: xp12 (March 1st 2023)    
Review System Specifications:
Windows 10 64 Bit
CPU Intel i9-9900k
64GB RAM
Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti
Oculus Rift S
 
Aircraft Review by Stuart McGregor
3rd March 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) 
 

 

Aircraft Review: AOASimulations-T6A Texan II X-Plane 12
 
By Stuart McGregor
 
Introduction
The release of the AOA T-6A Texan ll was done in the change over twilight zone of a legacy version with its ground-breaking advancements that was achieved with X-Plane 11, which essentially is at the end of its commercial run, and the eagerly awaited X-Plane 12, which still had some way to go until it is in its final release state in December 2023. For us armchair pilots this can be a little frustrating in our 365, 24/7 on-the-go world, where patience isn’t a commodity you see a lot of these days, so I can only imagine the dilemma this gives commercial developers. Do you wait until all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed in X-Plane 12, or do you continue creating and releasing in X-Plane 11, knowing the platform has been superseded by its younger brother? 

AOA Simulations decided not to wait to bring us their ‘Texan’, the T-6A Texan II. The aircraft was released for X-Plane 11, with a commitment of a free upgrade to X-Plane 12 for existing users when the simulator upgraded to the new version. That X-Plane 12 release has now happened, and to top off the T-6A package you get both versions for X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.

In real life, the Texan is described as a single-engine turboprop aircraft and has been around since the late 1990s. It has been used as a training aircraft by several military organisations around the globe and more than 850 have been built to date. From what I have read, it is still very much the mainstay of the United States Air force and Navy when it comes to pilot training.
 

 
It has a low wing cantilever design with the majestic Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68 1100 hp engine, tandem seating arrangement with ejector seats to allow the flight instructor and trainee to live every moment together, all topped off with a hefty four-blade constant speed, variable pitch prop. The Texan also has a retractable tricycle landing gear assembly, with many of the features being based on the original development aircraft, the Pilatus PC-9. However, don’t be fooled, because the Texan is indeed a very different aircraft in many ways. To explain this in greater detail, the AOA Simulations folks have included a very nice reference document in the manuals section of their package that describes the Texan’s development journey. This is well worth a read to see just how much it has changed from the original Hawker Beechcraft development PC-9. I personally always like additional features like this because in my opinion they bring a greater level of depth to the user experience and allow a more immersive environment when you know a bit about the aircraft, its history and how it came into being.
 

 
Documentation
I will be honest and say that military jets and combat aircraft are not an area I typically venture into very often, so when I had the opportunity to try out what looked a bit like a fighter jet with a prop on its nose, I was intrigued to find out more. My GA side was screaming, “Oh yes please!”
 
The package in review comes in a 360MB download with the aircraft itself and a couple of liveries, as well as a few added extras in terms of documents. In the Manuals folder, you will find an alternative abbreviated checklist (X-Checklist plugin is required) to the one provided by default, a paper kneeboard checklist you can print, emergency procedures, a training flight tutorial with charts (KNGP to KRND), pictorial overviews of flight instruments, and if you are a MAC user, there is an explanation of a workaround if you experience issues when you first load the model.
 

There is also a highly detailed 38-page User Guide to take you through every inch of the aircraft and that is a must-read if you really want to get the most out of the Texan. The developer has also included some contact details and links of where to request help if you get stuck. Sadly, I can’t offer any comment on how successful the MAC workaround is, as I use a PC, however it looks like the developer has put some serious thought into the issue which is good to see.
 

 
The Aircraft
The developers quote that their Texan has been in development since early 2020 and clearly a huge amount of work has gone into the aircraft. You get a real sense of the details and the hours of work by just reading the manual alone, so I believe it is fair to say that the Texan really does come fully loaded. 
 
 

 
I loved the fact that both the front and rear cockpits are fully functional, thus providing a unique flying experience from each seat, and it was nice to be able to have the choice. The internal details in both cockpits are well presented and bristle with features. The texturing is of high resolution and high quality, and I found reading the various dials and panels to be of no issue, even in VR, when using my Rift S. The developers even quote that the Texan has been optimised to maximise performance in VR, and I would have to admit, that when using my system, I had no issues and enjoyed a very smooth experience.
 

 
When you first step into either cockpit, it is a bit daunting if you’re not used to military-style aircraft, however, the automated tutorial-level Checklist provided is very useful when navigating around the various systems. In my tests, I probably only scratched the surface of the instrument capabilities of the Texan, and you literally could spend hours and hours just working through your flows and testing out every feature, switch, lever, knob, button, panel, and fuse. As far as I could tell, everything shown works or is at least animated. If you are used to flying fast jets, I am sure the layout will come very naturally to you, however, I must admit it did take me a little time to work my way around.
 
By the way…the ejection seat does work, so be careful with that handle!!!
 

 
The unobstructed view that the glass canopy offers, is truly excellent, particularly in VR, and you really get a sense of just how compact and well-fitted everything is around you. The feeling of being in the cockpit was something I really enjoyed, and as I mentioned previously, just moving a few feet back to sit in the rear seat, adds a totally different dimension to the experience. The Texan comes with specially created FMOD sounds and the cockpit interaction sounds were nicely done, from the very subtle fuse click actions to the more distinct canopy locking mechanism.
 

 
From the X-Plane main menu bar, you can access the dust lock removal option, as when in cold and dark, there are several covers protecting sensitive parts of the aircraft. Even these covers are well modeled, as they sway gently in the wind, a very nice touch and great attention to detail. From the outside when the canopy is open in cold and dark, there are no pilots visible, however, they both appear when closing the cockpit and removing the dust covers. The characteristic turbine whine as the engine starts up is very nice, and you really do have the sense of that mighty Pratt and Whitney engine roaring into life right beside or in front of you. As you move around the exterior of the aircraft, the engine tone changes as you would expect, and this is particularly noticeable when you throttle forward and set the Texan into action. The sense of power from the 1100hp engine and prop thrashing through the air as you accelerate down the runway is something you must experience to really appreciate it.
 

 
The exterior details of the Texan are superb in my opinion and incorporate very high-quality textures, such as the hydraulic lines in the landing gear, through to the multitude of rivets across the shiny aircraft skin. During prefight, it is worth just taking a few minutes to walk around the aircraft and take in the quality of the modelling, and this is particularly impressive if you can do this in VR. You can literally walk up to the various parts and take a good look, reach out and almost touch the surfaces. There is a significant difference between the X-Plane 11 release version and the X-Plane 12 here. You will see far more detail added, and the surfaces are more highlighted than before, the result is a  substantial and better overall realism to the aircraft.
The developers really have done a wonderful job both inside and out, and in my opinion, the Texan is one of the best in terms of overall appearance, although I do still think it is a little bit of an oddball with the fighter-style canopy, dual seating arrangement, and that big old prop at the front. It does take a little bit of getting used to at first. 
 

 
Now, if you’re anything like me, when you get a new toy, the first thing you want to do is to try it out, so the thought of working through a full set of start-up procedures may not be top of your list. The good news is that very early on, the developers thought of us “impatient types”, and kindly provided a very nice simple 11-step process on page 5 of the User Guide to get up and flying, and this is very helpful. Now don’t get me wrong, at times there is a real sense of satisfaction about going through every step of your flow and eventually seeing the ground disappear below, however, at times I just want to start up and off I go. I like the fact that in the Texan you can do both and I did, although I must admit that just firing up and heading down the runway was my preference. This is perhaps a suitable time to mention that I am using a VKBSIM joystick and pedal set as my control inputs, and I found these to work very well both on the ground and in the air. As there are no toe-brakes with these pedals, I did use a small script to give me brakes and this worked well, although there is a stick forward option that you can use within the aircraft if you prefer. I had no complaints about the handling of the Texan, although care with the throttle is highly advised both when taxiing and when taking off. There is a mighty amount of power at your fingertips, so my advice is to use it wisely. As they say, ‘with great power comes great responsibility…’ and never a truer word was said in the Texan’s case. Remember this thing can do more than 300 knots when flat out!!
 

 
The glass canopy really does give an amazing view, particularly in VR, however, if you are using flat screens the developers have included a couple of highly novel add-on features to enhance your views in the cockpit. The manual goes into quite some detail to explain what you can expect; however, the best way is just to try them out. These are actioned via buttons on the glare shield and using dedicated buttons on your controller, and the ‘Roll to See’ feature allows you to pan around while taxiing, as well as some interesting effects when doing aerobatics. The Target Track feature allows you to lock on to AI aircraft if you are flying in formation (a key skill by all accounts) and if you are familiar with other aircraft from AOA Simulations, you are likely to be at home with this feature already. As I do most of my flying in VR, these features are disabled so I didn’t spend a huge amount of time testing them out, however from what I did see, this is quite unique and adds another and different layer of immersion to the Texan. 
 

 
One final system feature I would like to highlight is the Flight Assistance system which allows various assistance features to be turned on and off. The button is a bit fiddly to find (highlighted in the manual on page 11) however there are eleven different features such as AOA indexer and brake cues, airspeed indication of gear and flap speed bands, wind direction and speed, through to braking using the control stick and many more. The basic idea is to make life as easy as possible for any newbie pilot or as realistic as possible by switching this off for those who would like more of a challenge. When you are new to an aircraft, this sort of thing really does help, as there is nothing worse than getting frustrated and giving up before you have even started.
 
The lighting is basic, mostly indirect lights on the the panels and the two side wall lights on the separate consoles. You can move the instrument panel spot lights to where you want them to shine on. Externally the landing and taxi lights don't work unless you lower the gear, as they are positioned on the inner gear struts.
 

 
As I mentioned earlier, the Texan is fully loaded with so many great details and features, and although this type of aircraft is not necessarily my “go-to” happy place in the sky, the more I flew it the more I came to appreciate just how good an offering this is from AOA Simulations, both in terms of the basic aircraft but also just how enjoyable the overall flying experience can be. If you also like lots of technical details, procedures and everything that goes with that side of things, then again, I believe the Texan has something to offer you. 
 

 
Final Thoughts
The T-6A Texan II from AOA Simulations, under normal circumstances, is an aircraft I wouldn’t typically be flying, however, I am glad I had the opportunity, as it’s always good to try something new.

When you factor in the excellent internal and external textures, the 3D modelling, the control and integration of features, the sounds, and of course the flying experience, I think it’s fair to say that the AOA team really has put out an excellent product. Available now for both X-Plane 11, and to be experienced in X-Plane 12, all the new features in the sim in combination with the Texan’s feature set, it is something quite special. A real synergistic masterpiece…

So, should you splash out $40 on the Texan? Well as always that is down to you, your budget and what you are looking for. However, I truly believe that the Texan is well worth thinking about, especially if you have considered the fast jet challenge but have not been sure where to start. 

If it’s good enough for real-world pilots, then it certainly works for me!
__________________________________
 

 
The T-6A Texan II by AOA Simulations is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
T-6A Texan II
Price at time of writing US$40.00
 
Features:
This model was developed using the official USAF 1T-6A-1 Flight Manual and SNFO (Student Naval Flight Officer) P-880 Aircraft Systems explanatory guide. Two default liveries, USAF and U.S. Navy TAW-5. 17 additional liveries will be available on the X-Plane.org freeware download manager. This is the T-6A model with federated (many small units combined into one system) glass display panels. The project has been in development since February 23, 2020 and is our most detailed model to date. The Model
High quality 3D model with high-resolution, 4K PBR textures. Fully functional virtual front and rear 3D cockpits with more than 380 control manipulators. Everything works, fly from either cockpit. Both pilot and instructor models visible in cockpit views. Optimized to save FPS in VR. Ground equipment
The Flight model Fully aerobatic, high performance dynamic flight model tested and approved by several former T-6A pilots. Single “Power Lever” control of engine and propeller enables "jet like" simplicity. Unique T-6 Trim Aid Device (TAD) is accurately modeled. This compensates for most engine torque effect with automatic rudder trim.  Sounds
Professional FMOD sound package by SimAccoustics Documentation
Detailed 38 page User Guide and detailed avionics illustrated guide sheets available HERE ON OUR SUPPORT PAGE prior to purchase. Several checklists options to choose from including detailed checklist powered by Xchecklist freeware plug-in. Tutorial checklist and example Training Flight to get you up to speed with the aircraft.  More details
All panel displays are accurately modeled and powered by SASL plugin / lua code Complete electrical systems model. Every circuit breaker on both the battery and generator bus panels is functional. Individual systems can be isolated, failed and restored via its cockpit circuit breaker. Optional "AOA Extras" for student pilots or those who want to know a little more about what's going on with while the fly.  Save load feature allows you to save some options once and they are the same on your next flight in the model. Default Laminar G1000 available to use with a custom database in the panel mounted GPS unit. Future developments
 This model is for X-Plane 11 only. It is not compatible with X-Plane 12. When X-Plane 12 is stable then a new version will be released as a free upgrade for existing users.  
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 or 11
4 GB VRAM Video Card Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 360 MB Current version: xp12 (March 1st 2023)    
Review System Specifications:
Windows 10 64 Bit
CPU Intel i9-9900k
64GB RAM
Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti
Oculus Rift S
 
Aircraft Review by Stuart McGregor
3rd March 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) 
 

 

Behind the Screen : February 2023
 
Behind the Screen in January 2023, laid out the start of X-PlaneReviews year in X-Plane 12. It was of course a strange mixture of optimism and being faced with the challenges that X-Plane 12 brings to Simulation. Oddly it was partly software, but mostly hardware (Saitek Throttle and Graphic Card) related. The full story is here; Behind the Screen : January 2023
 
The basis as noted a month ago, is that Behind the Screen is a look behind the website, basically what we are faced with in hardware, addons and software, can also affect you, so the idea is that by us sharing what happens in our world, can hopefully help you in your  Simulation. I run X-Plane on average 6-8 hours a day, 6 days a week, which adds up to a huge amount of simulator time, I cover a huge selection of aircraft, scenery and plugins (But I will note I don't use a lot of experimental plugins, because with reviews, you need a basic standard level (base line) to configure the aircraft correctly).
 
After the trauma of January, I was looking forward to a more routine stable month in February, and it got off to a good start. In Simulation as noted you have to have a base line. That is the point were the simulator is running smoothly and the settings are compatible with your hardware. From this line you can see if the aircraft is performing or it's performance is correct. To do that you use aircraft that are very well known to you, and are very stable in their flight and performance envelope. Data in one flight should mirror the next flight and so on, if anything is knocked out of kilter, then you go back to these standard base settings to get or to set your bearings again. Certainly as the Simulator matures you have to reset your baseline, but that is okay if things are running normally. So what happens if you lose your baseline?
 
After all the rigmarole of January. The safest thing to do was to find the new baseline. I did this by using one aircraft in the Rotate MD-11, and I flew the aircraft solidly for six flights, comparing notes and data, then moving to another (ToLiSS A319) and compared the sets of data. I found that yes indeed X-Plane 12 was better, except for in one area...  weather.
 
The Weather factor was so bad, you could never find any base line with the huge turbulence/gusting changes, and the aircraft were performing very abnormally... basically it was impossible to review any aircraft in this situation. A side note was that the turbulence actually created in the "Real" weather, also affected (bled into) the "Manual" set weather... so setting the manual settings made no difference (which is crazy), as what you set, should be the same settings that you should get in the simulator...  oh and it rained all the time, even with bright blue skies?
 
Laminar Research certainly knew of the problems with the new X-Plane 12 weather engine, and have been working on the situation since the start of the New Year.
 
12.04b1 release was a biggie. (note this is still a "beta" release, not a version release). As the problematic turbulence (since the start of the release of the X-Plane 12 betas) was finally fixed and so was the "XPD-13715 – Manual wind layer altitudes were ignored" factor, we finally had a stable Simulator... not.
 
Then something really strange happened to X-Plane 12, the .dds files started to fail? .dds is the format used in textures (.PNG is also used , but PNG is not as efficient as .dds), the result of this aspect was that most of your scenery and ortho textures turned grey? and absolutely nothing related to the weather issues. This one really shut me down, for a week...  as Laminar fixed it. The problem was probably related to installing Zink, and if you want to know what Zink is, then Sidney explains it all here; Addressing Plugin Flickering. Both new items were introduced in v12.04b3. The Zink problem was it created a fail backup to the loss of the OpenGL API, the AMD users out there got a lot of flickering and CTD, if Vulkan failed...  which it does quite often.
 
You are probably shouting, "Why didn't you have a backup?". I do in a core basic X-Plane 12 version, but in my excitement on the weather being fixed, I updated at the same time both my main X-Plane version and my backup version v12.04b1, there was no point in downloading a fresh X-Plane 12 either, as that was tainted in 12.04b1 blood as well, so I was trapped, or had trapped myself.
 
So v12.04B3 is good...  not, again. But this issue is not related to the others, in fact it is an external issue with the "GRIB_get_field failed", in other words the NOAA or "NOAA Operational Model Archive and Distribution System", has pulled the GRIB Files that X-Plane 12 uses for the Simulator for downloading Live Weather. (Actually the file location/address was changed). GRIB by the way stands for "WMO standard for encoding gridded fields".
 
You thankfully you could get around this one, by setting the weather to "Manual", so at least I was flying again. And yes the Gribb fix is now also done from Laminar Research, and your live weather is all working again, actually far better than before.
 
You could note this as all the trials and tribulations of sorting out a new X-Plane version, but it is happening AFTER X-Plane 12 went Final, two months after...  the baseline should have been more solid at that point of release, and that is the point of the story here, the so called "Stable" release was not stable, yes we are using "betas", but there was no point at all in going back to the "Final" which should have been a stable release either as there was no baseline to work from? So something is amiss here.
 
So you have to feel for the developers in wanting to update or upgrade to X-Plane 12, how do you find a baseline of on such shifting sands, well you can't. Hence the slowing of X-Plane 12 releases.
 
In between of all of this X-Plane 12 is actually getting better with each update, although tainted by the .dds scandal, v12.04b1 was a very good release, everything felt better, from the lighting to the clouds, not perfect yet, but better...  so big progress IS being made, and we may be finally getting there.
 
 
 
I had to move to a fresher drive, or more so from a platter drive to a NVMe M.2 SSD for most of my storage files, meaning aircraft and scenery and the various odds and bobs. I'm not a big fan of platter drives, as I have had various nasty encounters of them failing on me and taking a large portion of my life with them, you can only have so many backups of the same thing. Yes SSD's can fail as well, but nothing bothers you more than a thin consistently spinning disk with a needle poised above it, you just know it it is someday going to rip it to shreds.
 
Then moving from the old drive to the newer one was a big task, over 2Tb of files, most going back now a decade or so. There is a lot of history in there, a lot of flying elements as well. So it makes you take stock of the current situation.
 
These changes do usually happen between X-Plane version changes, a sort of "out with the old, in with the new" house keeping, but like going through old photographs when moving house, these movements in life can make you stop and think of your journey to this moment.
 
Like again photographs, there are a lot of memories there. Aircraft that created memorable events, even the hard ones you had to master. Can you really associate the current highly detailed X-Plane 12 cockpit to a 2d instrument panel of a decade ago...  well not really, and that is why you don't use them anymore (but you still do a short flight now and then to see of where, and how far we have come).
 
The next batch of aircraft are more interesting, we are talking X-Plane 10 era machines. Now we had 3d virtual cockpits, and that changed the game (so to speak). It was the era when Carenado also came into X-Plane, well renowned in Flight Sim, Carenado aircraft in X-Plane 10 were and are still a revelation for X-Plane. Sure if you jump into a lot of them now they have a dated appeal, but a lot still have a glowing quality that makes you miss the quality of the detail and textures of the era, or mostly of the feel the aircraft created. Don't get me wrong here before we go too far, X-Plane 12 aircraft are a very high on the quality and features scale, even past the modeling stage and more like a miniature version of the real aircraft...  but, but, these aircraft were gems...  the PA34 Seneca V, PA31 Navajo, Cardinal ll, C404 Titan, A36 (V Tail) Bonanza, CT210 Centurion ll, PA46 Malibu Mirage, Archer ll, S550 Citation II and I could go on and on. A few are more precious...  the B1900D, the SAAB S340 and the Fokker F50.
 
For X-Plane 11 most if not all Carenado aircraft were upgraded to the new simulator from X-Plane 10, or created for X-Plane 11... in all there were 42 Carenado aircraft of various designs, one thankfully has survived, my F33A Bonanza as you can get a REP package to allow it to fly in X-Plane 12, but it's not a full upgrade revision, but it survived and will live to fly another day, like it does in the header here and in an X-Plane 12 environment.
 
Obviously we are in the early days of X-Plane 12 aircraft conversions, so we really don't know of what aircraft will survive or will be left on the drive platter. And that conversion process will maybe take a year and a half, but there will still be hundreds of aircraft left behind in the churn factor. Yes a lot do belong in the past, and are to be left back there. But a lot don't...  they also don't deserve to disappear from our Simulator.
 
Many designs will be re-imagined, like with Thranda and their C206 Caravan, C208 Skywagon and lastly the C337, but they won't be able to replace all of them.
 
So the general aviation market, so heavily dominated by Carenado is going to be quite decimated with no replacements, worse is the loss of the B1900D, S340 and that for me the heavily flown F50. 
 
If these machines are not going to be upgraded, and Carenado have no interest in X-Plane going forward, then why not release them to freeware, then users can then patch them up for use in X-Plane 12. This goes for other now gone developers or abandoned payware aircraft. A lot of developers have switched to MSFS, as has Carenado, so again this is creating a very different scenario from the transition of X-Plane 10 to X-Plane 11 for X-Plane 12.
 
There was this churn between X-Plane 10 and 11. But my feeling that it is going to be very different this time. We didn't worry of the transition from X-Plane 9 to 10, because of the revolution of the changes in X-Plane 10, X-Plane 11 grew huge and capitalised on X-Plane 10....  X-Plane 12 however feels very different, and I think we will have to adjust to accommodate the changes. Like I said it is early days yet, but the feeling already is more of the new this time around, than the same of the past.
 
See you all next month
 
Stephen Dutton
1st March 2023
Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews
 

Aircraft Update Review : Gulfstream 550 v1.10 by AKD Studio
 
Since it's release back 28th October 2022 there has been 10 (including this one) updates to the AKD Studio Gulfstream 550, obviously four months and with 10 updates in that time period, it shows the huge amount of the development that has changed on the aircraft in those few months, a lot obviously, and the changelogs are long. I'm not going to note all the fixes here in this update review, but only the ones that are significant.
 
I really liked the aircraft on it's release, but the G550 did however feel a little bit under developed, it is a new developer to the X-Plane platform as well in AKD Studio's so there is a lot to learn and refine, but the above changelogs shows the improvements are going in there and very quickly...  Release review; Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio
 

 
After four months both the Gulfstream 550 and X-Plane 12 feel far better than they did back in October...  as together they have both matured nicely.
 
Externally there have been small changes, however not still on the front windscreen surround, as they are still missing the screws? but the side windows now show the glass reflections, and not a hollow hole, so the fuselage as a whole feels far better (the cabin windows here on the G550 are really big).
 

 
Cabin window blinds/shades were added in v1.04, very nice.
 
Biggest change in v1.10, is the addition of a cargo hold area, this is on a revised menu "Ground Handling" page noting now an opening rear door, set below the Main Door operation.
 

 

 
Access can also be through the rear bathroom (new door) to the very well done cargo bay, I like the wire protected lights, a nice touch...  you can also open and close the cargo hatch manually from the inside.
 

 
More new features in v1.10 include both an AC and DC GPU's (Ground Power Units), and they are both well done, both available on the Ground Handling page.
 

 
The "Fuel" or loading page has been upgraded as well. You can set your fuel load by the + or -, but also by scrolling on the REQ TOTAL to add in or off load fuel...   When pressing SET you get now a well modeled tanker outside.
 
             
 
You can also set the cargo weight (both Kgs and Lbs are available), and finally your Passenger load of up to 16 Passengers, weights are adjusted to the loading parameters. Pressing BOARDING, will activate a Tesla Car (It takes ages to turn up) and proceeds to deliver passengers and luggage to the aircraft...  when done it goes away, to unload passengers you press the selection "Take Passengers to Terminal".
 

 
If you had read the release review, we have seen this Tesla before, but at the totally wrong scale. It is now the right scale, but in reality it is all still a bit odd isn't it...  I mean how would you get 16 passengers into a 5 seater Tesla? A Mercedes Bus would have been a better idea, the Tesla doesn't feel finished either?  The Fuel truck has an annoying foible as well, it appears simply out of nowhere, then suddenly disappears again when the aircraft is refueled, so there is no animation to the jet or in leaving? Static Elements can now also be selected to appear on startup. Other external notes include... wheels now actually touch the ground!
 
In v1.04 the internal lighting had an overhaul. There are sixteen individual sets of lights around the huge cabin, these can be all switched on or off manually at each light, or on the selections of the CABIN LIGHTS Menu page...
 

 
Thankfully you can "Turn on all Lights", and do the same to turn them all off again...
 

 
And very nice it all is in the cabin...  there is a secondary lighting page that covers three areas, rear Bathroom and each side downwash lights...  This gives you a more softer cabin feel, and lights up separately the bathroom.
 

 
It does also help lighting up the galley area which was extremely dark before, and sort of the entrance, which I complained about in the release review. Oddly the Red on to the Green off selections are the opposite of the cabin lighting commands?
 
Lighting is better, but it still doesn't quite all work? as separate galley and baggage area lighting is what is really required here, and you still some entrance lighting missing... the stairs have the inbuilt lighting elements shown, but it doesn't work... as light bleed into the cockpit with no door is a problem?
 

 
External lighting was upgraded in v1.05. It is very good, if the main landing lights a bit over bright? There are Navigation, Strobe, Beacon (belly), Ice/Wing and wheelwell lights..  the tail light is too dull to be effective.
 

 
Cockpit lighting is good, and it comes with a lot of adjustments, with glareshield dropdown lighting, yoke, overhead and side panel lighting.
 

 
The only thing I didn't like, was that I couldn't dial out the footwell lighting...  this made bright reflections upwards on to the instrument displays, so an all dark cockpit was not possible.
 
While we are still in the cabin, the window frames are still quite average and they come with nasty gaping holes and badly fitted cabin (glass) windows. Yes while flying you do have to look through these badly made windows and I'm not in liking the view!...  however the "Time to Destination" has been added to the Cabin Display.
 

 
Don't get me wrong here, the lighting is now very good, but still needs more refinement to be effective, or totally realistic.
 
Instruments
The HUD (Head Up Display) now works...  just touch it to drop it down. You have to adjust it, as the form and lettering is too thick and that is done via the knob above, it works, but it's not the best available, it also still feels like a WIP.
 

 
"Banana" indicator is now working on the PFD. On the MAP/MFD you now have the Terrain Radar working as well. It is the DrGluck (Plugin v1.30+) tool and the plugin is required. The Terrain shows the Independent terrain display on both the left and right displays, and it also gives you a working Vertical Situation Display.
 

 
I always had issues with the METAR report on the menu. Add in your ICAO code and the system would freeze, or CTD. Now it works, but not by pressing the PRINT METAR? but by doing a keystroke RETURN, still very odd?  But at least you now don't freeze the Sim. Support for 8.33 kHz radios is now also available.
 

 
Flying v1.10 Gulfstream 550
For updating the Skunkcraft's Updater now works with the aircraft, thankfully with so many updates it is a very useful tool.  In v1.07 in December, a Manual was also delivered (by Ivan Luciani), seriously you had to wait two months for a Manual, and you wonder why reviewing is hard without developer notes.
 
Look closely and you will find now there are pilots flying the aircraft, they are the default Laminar Pilots, but still a great addition.
 

 
In v1.05, there was a lot of performance changes (a change over to SASL v3.15 was also completed) by AKD. I found the release aircraft not to bad to fly actually...  but in the takeoff roll and climbout, it was even far better in this later version.
 

 
Changes include engine performance, flight model and better airfoils. And the new wingflex is also very noticeable, mainly because it wasn't done before?
 

 
It is worth noting that the engine performance and flight models, are tuned to each different X-Plane version, X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11. Obviously the X-Plane 12 dynamics are better, as felt here. Added or refined is the rain effects (V1.03) on both forward windscreen and side cabin windows
 

 
The AKD G550, is a quite complicated aircraft to fly, there is a lot of detail to cover in here with the Symmetry Flight Deck, and the specific glareshield "Display Controller" system. But it is well worth the effort to do so. I will admit I'm not crazy about the manuals? There is a lot of them in sixteen categories, but they are done in a drawing layout? Interesting in one way as the detail is very good...  but odd in another.
 

 
Specifications are; Range 6,750 nmi (7,770 mi, 12,500 km) range, with a High Speed Cruise: M0.85 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m) or the standard Long Range Cruise: M0.80 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m), and you can cover the ground with a Service ceiling: 51,000 ft (16,000 m)
 

 
Flying 41,000ft at m.80 is the dream of living with the Gods, but you can easily do that with this Gulfstream, it is a great simulation with high numbers. Fixes on the the instrument panels are high;  NavSource on Display Controller, squawk page in FMS3 radio panel, better RNP indicator on DU1/DU4 and fixed AoA indicator DU1/DU4, Stall warning system logic, Altitude mismatch on ALT tape and Autopilot FLCH mode.
 
Note a confusing thing is using the Autopilot. Noteable is that the G550 does not have an Autopilot, hence the trickery here... 
 

 
To activate the Autopilot, which is set below the Speed selector...  you press one of the screws on the left of the panel, hard to find if you don't know where it is, otherwise you get a yellow caution alert.
 
At Mach 80, faster if you want to, you travel and arrive at your destination quickly, here I'm back at EVRA Riga, Latvia.
 

 
You just like looking at the Gulfstream, because it is a very nice aircraft to look at...
 

 
I still can't work out how to ARM the Airbrakes for landing, press the button, positioned rear the centre console, but it doesn't ARM?
 

 
Nice 6º nose up flare, shows nice control in the flare, and you lower the power to sweetly touch the runway...  nice and easy.
 

 
Sounds haven't had much attention in the updates, but the reverse thrust is loud and powerful...
 

 
Flaps are MASSIVE, and lower to the full 39º...  The full landing configuration is shown on the PFD, and I really still can't get over how much I like this visual FLT arrangement, brake pressure is shown as well.
 

 
The Gulfstream 550, puts the world at your feet, it is an intercontinental flying machine, and in v1.10 it better than ever, not totally perfect, but a great simulation.
 
Summary
In world of the elite, then the word of Gulfstream is the biggest token you can play in this upper exclusive club. The Gulfstream G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series and that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
First an almost disclaimer on the review and the aircraft. The Gulfstream G550 is a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they have to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with, add the release right in the middle of a new X-Plane 12 Beta run, and you can expect a lot of bugs and weird things with the aircraft. It's not like that at all in context, in fact it flies very well. But it is very hard to do development on shifting sands.
 
This update review covers the extensive update list from the release aircraft (v1.0), to the current version v1.10.
 
The update list here is extremely long, but the main features are a new Cargo/Baggage area, with animated door, internal detail is very good. New Fuel Tanker, Two GPU AC/DC units and a smaller (scale) Tesla car, with a lot of touchups and details externally.
 
Cabin lighting has been totally redone, but still needs some fine tuning and stair lighting, but far better than the original set up. HUD HeadUp Display now works, as does the inclusion of DrGluck's Plugin v1.30+ that has Independent terrain display on the left and right displays, and a working Vertical Situation Display. Pilots have been added as has WingFlex, and a lot, a real lot of changes to the engine performance, flight model and custom performance for both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.
 
I still have a few quibbles, poor window surrounds, lighting still not right, default FMS, pop in/pop out Tanker and other quirks, but you have to understand to a point this aircraft (and by the extensive list of updates) is really still a work in progress, it has in reality come a very long way since it's release late October 2022, obviously released too early, but the developer has made some highly significant progress on the aircraft.
 
Personally I absolutely love the Gulfstream G550. X-Plane has wanted a really excellent transoceanic Private Jet for decades and here it is, it is also available in X-Plane 11 and more importantly in X-Plane 12 in the same value package of just over US$30. For your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems.
________________________________  
 
The Gulfstream 550 v1.10 by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
GLF550 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio
Price is US$31.95
 
This aircraft is now both X-Plane12 and X-Plane 11 supported
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.1 GB
Current version : 1.10 (February 7th 2023)   Download for the Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB
 
And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 2.53gb. Authorisation is required.
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Simbrief proflie is;
https://www.simbrief.com/system/dispatch.php?sharefleet=256234_1658264083720
 
Documents
AKD GLF550 Introduction.pdf FMS_Manual.pdf GLF550 Normal Checklist.pdf GLF550_air_conditioning_system.pdf GLF550_auxiliary_power_unit_(apu)_system.pdf GLF550_electrical_system.pdf GLF550_fire_protection_system.pdf GLF550_flight_control_system.pdf GLF550_fuel_system.pdf GLF550_hydraulic_system.pdf GLF550_ice_and_rain_protection_system.pdf GLF550_landing_gear_and_brakes_system.pdf GLF550_oxygen_system.pdf GLF550_pneumatic_system.pdf GLF550_powerplant_system.pdf GLF550_pressurization_system.pdf  
Changelog
Changelog v1.10.txt
Designed by AKD Studios
Support forum for the Gulfstream G550 _____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
18th February 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.01r3 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1  by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
- EVRA - Riga International Airport v2 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$18.50
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Aircraft Review : C208B Grand Caravan HD Series XP11 by Carenado
 
The single Turbo-Prop Cessna 208B Grand Caravan was one of the earliest X-Plane aircraft releases back then in mid-year 2012, that is five years ago now to date.
The first Carenado releases were really average to good, basically test pieces for X-Plane. Both the Mooney and the PA 32 Satatoga felt old before their release, but then in May we got some release images of the Caravan and then in June 2012 the aircraft was released in X-Plane. Finally X-Plane users got the glimpse and a taste of why in Flight Sim Land of all the reverence and praise that was lavished on Carenado. It was back then and to a point still now a great aircraft, but we also saw Carenado for what they really were and more importantly they were also taking X-Plane as a simulation platform seriously. That gamble paid off massively for Carenado as they now dominate most General Aviation releases in X-Plane, although I will admit a few other developers like vFlyteAir and Aerobask are now pushing them harder in quality in what was once only a Carenado domain.
 
There is no doubt that the C208B Caravan has been a huge seller if not their best seller year in and year out for Carenado, and it is not hard to see why. It is an amazing aircraft but versatile as well. The aircraft is basically a workhorse, a short hop regional gap filler for two pilots and eleven passengers, or a single pilot and twelve passengers, and it's speciality is island hopping.
Carenado also then broadened the C208B's already great attraction by an add-on and an extra in the form of a cargo version called the "Super CargoMaster", so now not only could you move your passengers point to point, but also cargo was now also the go. The great suddenly became the brilliant.
 
I am not going to hide the fact that in the last five years I have done a huge amount of flying of both the passenger and cargo versions in this brilliant aircraft, the hours spent in the C208B's left seat are simply to large to count, but it must be a lot. So of the many aircraft I have spent flying in X-Plane then the Caravan must be at the top of my list and it is in my all time list as it came in at number 3. But I will admit with the transition to X-Plane11 the old bird was starting to feel a little worn around the edges, and that is despite a few nice upgrades (v2/v3) in the X-Plane10 run. 
 
So here is the X-Plane11 upgrade. And now this C208B aircraft is now X-Plane11 compatible. You will have repurchase the aircraft in full as well, but the cost covers all updates throughout the X-Plane11 run or about four to five years and Carenado have noted that there will be some great new features coming to the Caravan but not until the other listed aircraft have been upgraded as well, and don't forget that there is still the G1000 Executive version still waiting in the wings.
 
C208B Grand Caravan HD Series XP11
This is both a light overall review and an upgrade review in one, because the original X-PlaneReviews Caravan review is now quite old from 2013 and so I think it requires an update and refresh on the aircraft.
 
The first most significant detail is that the original add-on "Super CargoMaster" package is now part of the overall package. In other words you don't have to purchase a separate package and merge it with the main Carenado C208B Grand Caravan purchase to get both versions, and you can also change to both versions from within the one aircraft and not have two separate aircraft to switch between or reload.
 

 
The standard three Carenado left lower screen tab menus are still here with C for the Views, Field of View and Sound adjustment which the same as usual for Carenado.
 

 
D covers "Doors" in the Pilots and Co-Pilots door(s) (with a great swing down ladder) and a double (upper and swing lower) main Cargo door and on the passenger version a passenger door on the right rear side of the aircraft. The Caravan comes with a detachable lower cargo pod with opening doors, but the selection of opening the pod doors is a separate selection on the cargo, however the pod doors can then only be opened with the right side passenger door on the passenger version which is slightly odd. You can also switch to each the passenger or the cargo version here on this menu tab as well, via the lower left tickbox. (if you change the livery to either a passenger or a cargo version the type will also change automatically).
Livery selection can also be done from this menu in selecting left or right to go through the options, personally I use the XP11 menu as it was quicker.
 

 
O covers the "Options" on the lower third tab. First selection is the optional cargo pod and the then the static elements of Chocks, Tow Tractor, Pivot Cover, Engine and Prop covers. Lower selection allows you to have tinted or clear windows.
 
This options menu also allows you on the passenger version to select the rear seating arrangements with either single seating for eight or single/double seating for eleven. I usually use the eleven seater.
 

 
The option menu on the cargo version is the same except that there is no seating but cargo options.
 
“Load Configuration 1” is with the parcels loaded and that adds “1607” Pounds to the aircraft’s weight.
“Load Configuration 2” is with the parcels removed and no penalty of weight.
 

 
The cargo area is very well presented with the webbing hanging with the space empty and everything tied down tightly with the load on board and when not used the hand aircraft puller is strapped to the rear bulkhead, there is a nice touch to the cockpit rear with a net over the the entrance to keep the cargo in place.
 

 
External Detail
I usually fly with the pod off, my flying in the Caravan is mostly passenger sightseeing or point to point airport connection services.
 


 
The Caravan style is between a pure utility aircraft, but still has a miniature airliner feel as well with all those side windows (seven). For the job it is about perfect and in the real world it is extremely popular and would be a very hard aircraft to replace and most operators usually don't but with another Caravan. Since its first flight on December 9, 1982 and into service in 1983 there has now over 2,500 Caravans built and flying at a cost of US$1.95 million each (2017 costing).
 
External detailing is phenomenal. Every rivet is counted for, all latches, hinges and handles are perfect, (ice) lighting surrounds, lovely flap tracks, vents, animated static wicks and antennas. Glass is superb with great reflections and a very slight convex look.  In reality the earlier detailing on the Caravan is not much different here, but it has been totally enhanced with X-Plane11 features and of course with PBR or Physical Based Rendering (material shines and reflections) and the textures are all 4K and have been reprocessed for the best quality to FPS (framerate) optimization.
 

 
So the most noticeable factor from the earlier Caravans to this version is the sheer gloss on the aircraft and the highlighting of the aircraft's construction.
 
This is mostly highly noticeable with the wing construction and detailing, it is beautiful work, almost perfection. But in certain lighting conditions you get a frazzled feel, it can be a little over shiny for the eye, a slightly more wear and tear feel would be more authentic, but don't get me wrong this is the best of the best in detailing.
 

 
The spinner is now chrome, real chome. Carenado always did do great chrome fittings but the extra shinyness now adds to the effect (X-Plane11 metalness effects). This shinyness is highlighted by the lovely curves of the lower fuselage and the air cooling vents. The Caravan has a powerful Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A engine connected to that lovely crafted Hartzell 3-Blade Metal, Constant Speed - full feathering propeller...   great stuff.
 

 
Note that huge if slightly ugly right sided exhaust, but it does give off a great whine sound. The aircraft undercarriage support is also superb, there is a lot of animated flexibility and dynamic loading/unloading of the gear that adds amazing authenticity to the simulation. Minor detailing on the internal construction of all the wheels and braking systems are pinch perfect.
 
Open the doors and the extreme detailing is even more evident. Looking into the cockpit you are immediately reminded on why the Caravan was such a big deal back when Carenado first released the Caravan. It was a modern cockpit (mid-80's compared to the other far older Mooney and the PA 32 Satatoga cockpits).
 

 
Internal Detail
That light on dark panel was and still is amazing as is the whole of the Caravan's cockpit. The panel is now even more dynamic with the X-Plane11 dynamic lighting effects, more realism and even more of a great place to be. All instrument and glass is reflective, instruments are all of the highest quality
 


 
Checking around the panel there hasn't been much changed or added except that those tree style manipulators have been replaced by the standard half-moon style manipulators, this is for another reason as well as for just easier manipulation as they are required for the coming VR interaction.
 
Those lovely hide away yokes do also have a working elevator trim, which is very usable. And above your head is still the standard tank switches and oxygen switch and dial readout.
 
Your workplace seating still looks very comfortable and the quality is mindblowing, again the dynamic lighting brings something new to this already very familiar cockpit.
 

 
Instrument Panel
 

 
In reality this is not a really over complicated instrument panel and I think that is the overall sweetness on flying and using the Caravan.
 
The row of engine status dials on the top row are (left to right) Torque, RPM Prop, ITT (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Gas Generator RPM, Oil Pressure PSI & Oil ºc Temperatures, Fuel Flow and both L&R fuel tank gauges dominates the panel, the lovely set of excellent annunciators that can be set for day and night visual brightness or test mode.
 

 
Full Standard Six instruments for the flying pilot and the co-pilot with the Airspeed Indicator, Artificial Horizon and the Attitude Indicator on the top row and the ADF dial, Heading Dial/HSI and Vertical Speed Indicators set out directly below. Pilot has added Turn/Slip indicator below and Radar altitude (x100) meter. Left of SS is a VOR OBS pointer and Bendix King VOR data panel below. Far left is Prop Anti-Ice dial, Clock, and Engine Suction dial and approach marker lights.
A nice working feature is the Voltage dial that has four switchable selections with Gen (Generator), Alt (Alternator), BATT (Battery) and Volt
 

 
lower left is the external lighting switches and lower panel is six switches that covers the aircraft's Anti-Ice protection. There are also four rotary knobs for the instrument lighting which is in-direct and not back lighting, also here is the bottom brake pull and the Inertial Separator T handle that blocks debris coming into the main engine inlet. Air-conditioning and cabin heat switches and knobs are lower panel as well.
 
There is a stand alone electrical and fuse raised box structure to the pilot's left...
 

 
...    switches cover top - External Bus (GPU), Main Battery, Generator and fuel boost. Lower panel - Standby Power, Ignition, Engine Starter, Avionics Standby, Avionics Bus Tie and Avionics 1&2 OFF/ON.
 
By today's standards the avionic package here is quite basic for a working aircraft. Top is a Bendix King KMA 24 radio set, with below a default X-Plane GNS 430 (COMM 1 and NAV1) settings. Mid-panel is a Bendix King KX 165 COMM 2 and NAV 2 (VOR) radio and a Bendix King RDR 2000 weather radar with the X-Plane radar overlaid below.  
 

 
Right stack has top a Garmin GTX 320 transponder then below a Bendix King KR87 ADF radio with finally the Bendix King KFC 150 autopilot. The autopilot has a indication panel and altitude adjustment, vertical speed adjust panel on the pilot's side top right.
 
Throttle Pedestal
Mid lower panel is a nice throttle pedestal. Left to right there is a power lever to be used only in emergencies, then a single main "Throttle" lever with a "beta" reverse gate. The "Prop" lever is for MAX and MIN RPM and gated lower is the feather adjustment. Then there is the "Condition" lever again gated with High and Low idle and the lower gate is the shutoff. Far right is the "Flap" setting in Up - 10º (150knts) - 20º Full (125 knts). 
 


 
Left pedestal is the elevator trim wheel and front panel is the aileron trim knob and rudder trim wheel. There is the main fuel shutoff pull knob as well.
 
Flying the C208B Grand Caravan
I have done this YMLT (Launceston) to YMHB (Hobart) route about twenty times so I know it backwards, with a few heading notes I don't even have to put into the GNS430 a flightplan. It is my usual passenger transfer with a little bit of sightseeing thrown in to the deal.
 

 
I tank up per tank of 765lbs or 1531lbs total with a full weight of 7840lbs, a fair bit of fuel, but then I wanted to return to YMLT directly without refueling at Hobart. A glance around and all the seven passengers are in and the baggage is loaded. I have asked (nicely) for Carenado to put their excellent animated pilot and co-pilot as passengers for years, but still we have to pretend that there people in the rear.
 
Starting up of the Caravan is still one of the great aircraft engine starts in X-Plane. You don't get FMOD sounds here (yet), but Carenado's 3D 180º controlled sounds are just as good if not better for all the different sound ranges and bass depth.
 

 
Put the ignition switch on and set the starter...  you get nothing for a short while and then that familiar faint whine grows from somewhere deep in the front of the aircraft, still the whine grows louder until finally the propeller starts to turn in to action. The start sequence is full automation, hit the switch and just wait. Even after years of flying the Caravan I still question if the External (GPU) actually works? I have pressed the switch (arrowed) but there seems to be no action and the battery has a habit of quickly discharging, so my guess is no.
 

 
Once the engine temps are good I pull the condition lever back to idle and a RPM of around 650RPM. The original Caravan was a little bit faster in the idle, but it looks the new X-Plane11 performance settings have settled it down a little, for taxiing you don't have to fight it as much as you did in the past with far too much power. In fact the 208B feels quite perfect now.
 
Power up and the whine builds, but so does also the deeper turbo grind, so familiar but still neckline hair raising fantastic, this is the Caravan we totally love.
 

 
As noted the 208B is far easier to taxi without fighting the too powerful thrust now in the condition low idle setting, a big nice change...  but don't forget to put the condition lever into the "High Idle" position before takeoff...  or you won't, well takeoff.
 

 
The asymmetric thrust will still pull you really hard to the left with all that very powerful 675shp Pratt & Whitney pushing you forward. So you have to be aware right from the point you let the brakes go to give only a little thrust until you can lock the nose-wheel in straight and then give it full power after a certain speed and usually around 45knts. It works but still with a little deft right rudder. The C208B will however still try to wander and you are working hard with the yoke and the rudder to keep it sweet on the centreline I’m also very heavy here ( 7840lbs) so that slightly helps, but the speed climbs quickly to a rotate at around 95knts. Climbing out and into a turn to the due southwest (210º) I settle in at a 1000fpm (feet Per Minute) climb as 1,234 ft/min (6.27 m/s) is the maximum. But even with this weight the Caravan takes the tight turn and climb all in it's stride.
 

 
As I am so familiar with the Caravan I know its limits, I know how far to push the aircraft before it will fail me, and the 208B has a fair bit of slack in that area, it is a very sturdy aircraft, sweet to fly and manoeuvre but you need a firm straight hand on the yoke and rudder. One thing I do notice more on this XP11 version is the green window tint is quite strong in the glass reflections, it is highly noticeable if not slightly distracting.
 

 
There is the short straight route to YMHB, or the scenic route which is going straight southeast out from Launceston and hitting the coast around the spectacular Freycinet National Park and the famous Wineglass Beach, clients don't mind the extra cost or time as the Tasmanian east coast views are worth the detour.
 
But first you have to climb high to clear the Ben Lomond National Park, and so I set the altitude to 7500 AMSL. My passengers were also not getting a lot of views for their cash either as the cloud cover was pretty extensive...
 

 
The Caravan has a Cruise speed of around 197 mph (171 kn; 317 km/h) and a Range of 1,240 mi (1,078 nmi; 1,996 km) with max fuel and reserves. Your ceiling is an amazing 25,000ft as you have oxygen on board, but I have never really flown over 15,000ft.
 
The Bendix King KFC 150 autopilot is a treat to use, quite simple but effective.
 

 
Vertical speed can be a simple up or down, or you can set the separate digital display in the rate of climb and then ARM the altitude you want to hold. I found that you can't have the manual trim set (via your joystick or in my case x56 throttle twist knobs) as it interferes with the aircraft's trim systems, so I had to disconnect the x56 controls.
 
As I neared the east coast I could descend down through the thick cloud to see if the views would be better and more effective.
 

 
But I would still have to be careful as there is still a fair bit if land elevation around the Wineglass Bay area, in other words it is hilly. Note the blue ignition on warning light? I have lived with this one for years, in the fact that if you start the Caravan with the engine running then the ignition light stays off, but start the 208B from cold it stays on even if the ignition switch is now off, it is more annoying than you think.
 
Coming out of the lower 4000ft cloud base I got a real "whoa" moment. It wasn't dangerous in a sense of the word, but it still needed a hard turn south so it wouldn't become an issue, my altitude was set at 3500ft for the sightseeing.
 

 
My passengers only got a quick glimpse of Wineglass Bay, the weather is nothing I can control, and thankfully the further south I flew the brighter the weather became.
You get a great view out of the Caravan's cabin windows, that is why these aircraft are great in the sightseeing role, but in some lighting conditions the the glass reflections can be very strong.
 

 
In the new strong light you can see the excellent X-Plane11 PBR lighting effects and how beautiful they are on the Caravan, it certainly is glossy and the light is fantastic (I popped the pod back on for the full dynamic effect) but I will admit to debating (with myself) if the Caravan is too glossy in this form, sometimes it feels like there is to much gloss and other times it is just right, so I am in neither camp.
 


 
I have spent countless hours over the years looking over this view out of the Caravan, I still totally love it and you still admire how great an aircraft it is.
 

 
The Caravan is one of Carenado's greatest successful aircraft even after all these years, that actually comes with no great surprise, and now in X-Plane11 form it certainly goes up a notch again.
 

 
Time is getting on and the light is starting to fade. I usually go further south and around the peninsula and give the patrons a view of the Port Arthur Convict site as part of the deal, but today I am taking a short cut over Blackman Bay and directly to Dunalley Bay which leads into Frederick Henry Bay.
 

 
The views are still spectacular, and once over the passage I see YMBH's lights far to the west of Frederick Henry Bay .
 

 
I drop the altitude another 1500ft to 2000ft and start the approach phase as the light faded more...
 

 
The Caravan's amazing instrument panel in-direct lighting (the main Standard Six dials are also backlit) is still spectacular, it is adjustable as well. Overhead lighting is provided by a single roof mounted light that gives the cockpit area and the panel a more workable light, the adjustments knobs though even with the new manipulators can still be hard work, you have to grab and pull hard to make the knobs turn, there is also plenty of spaces for extra lighting switches on the lighting panel.
 


 
But the lighting overall is disappointing. Carenado pioneered great lighting effects that allows spot lighting to be adjustable, fade in and out and manoeuvrable in aircraft cabins. But here it is just plain dark back there, and the external Ice/Wing light doesn't work either?
 

 
Externally you have taxi and landing lights on both outer front wing edges, and the standard beacon and great strobe effects.
 
It may or may not be correct per the performance of the C208B but I always put the condition lever to the "low Idle" position before landing, yes you lose a slight bit of performance...  but rather that than the huge fight to control the speed after landing with the thrust level too high to stop you cleanly and without wavering all over the runway and then losing direction in trying to bring "that damn lever back" to control the aircraft, I find I still have enough power and more control with it set even in the "low idle" position.
 

 
I am learning that the performance of aircraft in X-Plane11 is quite different than before in X-Plane10. Certainly in the final landing phase. In the Caravan that sense is heightened. 
 

 
The area in question is throttle management, the ratio of speed to power. The stall point of the Caravan is 70knts, but let the airspeed drop below 100knts here on approach and you suddenly lose height, this is becoming a common theme if you have been reading other reviews since X-Plane11's release. The control is there and luckily the flap limits are quite high on the Caravan with 150knts for 10º and full (20º) at 125kts, so you drop 10º then adjust your speed then later the full 20º to 75knts on final approach.
 

 
But by controlling the throttle (which you do a lot) can gain you either more height with more power or with less throttle to lose height, pure aircraft control. Certainly this effect was there before in older X-Plane versions, but the effect in X-Plane11 is certainly more finer and more noticeable now in the feel factor. I find it quite exciting and I feel I am having more control over the aircraft in flight, a fine tuning area but a very important one and the Caravan really brings that effect out more than other aircraft I have flown lately in the past. In other words you are flying far more by you throttle inputs as much as your hand and feet input.
 

 
Get it right and you will boast about your landing for days, but it does take a fair bit of practise to be perfect.
 

 
One highly noticeable change in the XP11 version is the "beta" or reverse thrust position that gives you full reverse thrust after landing. It still works as usual by the gauge (arrowed) on the Prop dial, but you don't get that "roar" of sound you used to have? It is now more of a whimper? (I checked both high and low idle positions).
 

 
Passengers note the trip as "exciting" and "amazing" but I have flown the route in better conditions, but there is overall a more intimate feel with this X-Plane11 version than I can remember in the past with the older X-Plane versions of the Caravan, and that is a really great thing.
 
Liveries
The sets of liveries for both the Passenger and Cargo versions are the same as in the past, and any older liveries that you have collected don't work either. 
Included is for the Passenger version the: standard blank, Camo (camouflage), Exec 1, Exec 2 and that excellent GoTropical.
 



 
There are three Super CargoMaster liveries with the: Civil, FedEx and DHL. You get the Civil Cargo livery with the package and the two other liveries in the FedEx and DHL can be downloaded here.: Carenado FreeLiveries
 


 
Summary
This Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and optional Super CargoMaster has been one of the most successful Carenado aircraft in X-Plane to date, and it is really not hard to see why. I have loved the Caravan and more than most aircraft in X-Plane over the last four years because it is so versatile and just really a great aircraft to fly.
 
The release of the Caravan in X-Plane11 bring certainly all the great features of the new platform including PBR (Physical Based Rendering) and the performance enhancements that are really noticeable in the pilots seat. The added feature of both the passenger and super cargomaster versions together in one package also adds hugely into the appeal. A lot of work has gone into the quality of the detailing for X-Plane11 and quality is what Careando are known for.
 
But in another point of view, if you know the Caravan really well you won't really notice anything new or different in new features, from the pilot's seat you have the same position as you always have had but just only now in X-Plane11 with its excellent features, that is a positive but also a slight negative.
The lighting feels old, because internally it is compared to most later Carenado releases and the no Ice/wing light is highly noticeable, no new liveries over four years is not going to be fun either and since now the older custom ones now don't work either. (I lost fifteen liveries, gulp)
 
Carenado have noted though that FMOD audio, full VR support, SASL 3.0 upgrade, re-vamped pop-up windows and more are coming along in the update path, so my advice is to enjoy now and that more changes and features will come along as part of the overall package.
 
This is as noted a new purchase of the aircraft in full as well, but the cost does cover all updates throughout the X-Plane11 run or for about four to five years and any new features that Carenado have promised to add in to the overall package and I think that is overall a very good deal.
 
So here is one of the greats, and the Grand Caravan now comes in X-Plane11 clothes and performance. If you have read this full review, then you would know how important this aircraft is to my X-Plane flying, now in X-Plane11 the flying can now go on (and on) and I know I will absolutely love every moment of it, as a validation of a great aircraft this Grand Caravan is then one of the very best and you simply can't go any higher than that... 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________     The C208B Grand Caravan HD Series XP11 by Carenado is NOW available!  at the X-Plane.OrgStore

208 Grand Caravan HD Series
 
Price is US$34.95
 
Notes:
For WINDOWS users: Please ensure that you have all the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables downloaded and installed (click here)
Features: Specially designed engine dynamics for XP11.
Flight physics designed for XP11 standards.
Ground handling adapted for XP11 ground physics.
Physically Based Rendering materials and textures.
PBR materials authored with industry-standard software used by the film and gaming industries.
X-Plane GNS430 (FPS friendly)
Ice and rain effects
VR compatible click spots.
Goodway Compatible.
Realistic behavior compared to the real airplane. Realistic weight and balance. Tested by several pilots for maximum accuracy.
Dynamic loading/unloading of 3D parts and plugin logic for FPS optimization.
 
Requirements:
Windows XP - Vista - 7 -10 or MAC OS 10.10 (or higher) or Linux
X-Plane 11
CPU: Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster.
Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more.
Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better or similar from AMD)
570MB available hard disk space
 
Installation and documents:
Download for the C208B Grand Caravan HD Series is 498.40mg and the unzipped 589.20mb file is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder with this aircraft version X-Plane11 only.

Documents
C208B GC Normal and Emergency Procedures PDF
C208B SC Normal and Emergency Procedures PDF
C208B GC Reference document PDF
C208B SC Reference document PDF
KFC150 Autopilot PDF
Recommended Settings XP11 PDF
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________  
Review by Stephen Dutton 16th August 2017 Copyright©2017: X-PlaneReviews   (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)   Review System Specifications:
Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 
Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.02
Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini
Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : XPRealistic Pro v1.0.9  effects US$19.95
Scenery or Aircraft
- YMLT - Launceston, Australia 1.2.0 by CDG (X-Plane.Org) - Free
- YMHB - Hobart International Airport & YCBG Cambridge Aerodrome 1.0 by tdg (X-Plane.Org) - Free
- AustraliaPro 2.03 Beta by Chris K (X-Plane.Org) - Free (recommended for any Australian flying!)
 

 
 

Aircraft Update Review : Gulfstream 550 v1.10 by AKD Studio
 
Since it's release back 28th October 2022 there has been 10 (including this one) updates to the AKD Studio Gulfstream 550, obviously four months and with 10 updates in that time period, it shows the huge amount of the development that has changed on the aircraft in those few months, a lot obviously, and the changelogs are long. I'm not going to note all the fixes here in this update review, but only the ones that are significant.
 
I really liked the aircraft on it's release, but the G550 did however feel a little bit under developed, it is a new developer to the X-Plane platform as well in AKD Studio's so there is a lot to learn and refine, but the above changelogs shows the improvements are going in there and very quickly...  Release review; Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio
 

 
After four months both the Gulfstream 550 and X-Plane 12 feel far better than they did back in October...  as together they have both matured nicely.
 
Externally there have been small changes, however not still on the front windscreen surround, as they are still missing the screws? but the side windows now show the glass reflections, and not a hollow hole, so the fuselage as a whole feels far better (the cabin windows here on the G550 are really big).
 

 
Cabin window blinds/shades were added in v1.04, very nice.
 
Biggest change in v1.10, is the addition of a cargo hold area, this is on a revised menu "Ground Handling" page noting now an opening rear door, set below the Main Door operation.
 

 

 
Access can also be through the rear bathroom (new door) to the very well done cargo bay, I like the wire protected lights, a nice touch...  you can also open and close the cargo hatch manually from the inside.
 

 
More new features in v1.10 include both an AC and DC GPU's (Ground Power Units), and they are both well done, both available on the Ground Handling page.
 

 
The "Fuel" or loading page has been upgraded as well. You can set your fuel load by the + or -, but also by scrolling on the REQ TOTAL to add in or off load fuel...   When pressing SET you get now a well modeled tanker outside.
 
             
 
You can also set the cargo weight (both Kgs and Lbs are available), and finally your Passenger load of up to 16 Passengers, weights are adjusted to the loading parameters. Pressing BOARDING, will activate a Tesla Car (It takes ages to turn up) and proceeds to deliver passengers and luggage to the aircraft...  when done it goes away, to unload passengers you press the selection "Take Passengers to Terminal".
 

 
If you had read the release review, we have seen this Tesla before, but at the totally wrong scale. It is now the right scale, but in reality it is all still a bit odd isn't it...  I mean how would you get 16 passengers into a 5 seater Tesla? A Mercedes Bus would have been a better idea, the Tesla doesn't feel finished either?  The Fuel truck has an annoying foible as well, it appears simply out of nowhere, then suddenly disappears again when the aircraft is refueled, so there is no animation to the jet or in leaving? Static Elements can now also be selected to appear on startup. Other external notes include... wheels now actually touch the ground!
 
In v1.04 the internal lighting had an overhaul. There are sixteen individual sets of lights around the huge cabin, these can be all switched on or off manually at each light, or on the selections of the CABIN LIGHTS Menu page...
 

 
Thankfully you can "Turn on all Lights", and do the same to turn them all off again...
 

 
And very nice it all is in the cabin...  there is a secondary lighting page that covers three areas, rear Bathroom and each side downwash lights...  This gives you a more softer cabin feel, and lights up separately the bathroom.
 

 
It does also help lighting up the galley area which was extremely dark before, and sort of the entrance, which I complained about in the release review. Oddly the Red on to the Green off selections are the opposite of the cabin lighting commands?
 
Lighting is better, but it still doesn't quite all work? as separate galley and baggage area lighting is what is really required here, and you still some entrance lighting missing... the stairs have the inbuilt lighting elements shown, but it doesn't work... as light bleed into the cockpit with no door is a problem?
 

 
External lighting was upgraded in v1.05. It is very good, if the main landing lights a bit over bright? There are Navigation, Strobe, Beacon (belly), Ice/Wing and wheelwell lights..  the tail light is too dull to be effective.
 

 
Cockpit lighting is good, and it comes with a lot of adjustments, with glareshield dropdown lighting, yoke, overhead and side panel lighting.
 

 
The only thing I didn't like, was that I couldn't dial out the footwell lighting...  this made bright reflections upwards on to the instrument displays, so an all dark cockpit was not possible.
 
While we are still in the cabin, the window frames are still quite average and they come with nasty gaping holes and badly fitted cabin (glass) windows. Yes while flying you do have to look through these badly made windows and I'm not in liking the view!...  however the "Time to Destination" has been added to the Cabin Display.
 

 
Don't get me wrong here, the lighting is now very good, but still needs more refinement to be effective, or totally realistic.
 
Instruments
The HUD (Head Up Display) now works...  just touch it to drop it down. You have to adjust it, as the form and lettering is too thick and that is done via the knob above, it works, but it's not the best available, it also still feels like a WIP.
 

 
"Banana" indicator is now working on the PFD. On the MAP/MFD you now have the Terrain Radar working as well. It is the DrGluck (Plugin v1.30+) tool and the plugin is required. The Terrain shows the Independent terrain display on both the left and right displays, and it also gives you a working Vertical Situation Display.
 

 
I always had issues with the METAR report on the menu. Add in your ICAO code and the system would freeze, or CTD. Now it works, but not by pressing the PRINT METAR? but by doing a keystroke RETURN, still very odd?  But at least you now don't freeze the Sim. Support for 8.33 kHz radios is now also available.
 

 
Flying v1.10 Gulfstream 550
For updating the Skunkcraft's Updater now works with the aircraft, thankfully with so many updates it is a very useful tool.  In v1.07 in December, a Manual was also delivered (by Ivan Luciani), seriously you had to wait two months for a Manual, and you wonder why reviewing is hard without developer notes.
 
Look closely and you will find now there are pilots flying the aircraft, they are the default Laminar Pilots, but still a great addition.
 

 
In v1.05, there was a lot of performance changes (a change over to SASL v3.15 was also completed) by AKD. I found the release aircraft not to bad to fly actually...  but in the takeoff roll and climbout, it was even far better in this later version.
 

 
Changes include engine performance, flight model and better airfoils. And the new wingflex is also very noticeable, mainly because it wasn't done before?
 

 
It is worth noting that the engine performance and flight models, are tuned to each different X-Plane version, X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11. Obviously the X-Plane 12 dynamics are better, as felt here. Added or refined is the rain effects (V1.03) on both forward windscreen and side cabin windows
 

 
The AKD G550, is a quite complicated aircraft to fly, there is a lot of detail to cover in here with the Symmetry Flight Deck, and the specific glareshield "Display Controller" system. But it is well worth the effort to do so. I will admit I'm not crazy about the manuals? There is a lot of them in sixteen categories, but they are done in a drawing layout? Interesting in one way as the detail is very good...  but odd in another.
 

 
Specifications are; Range 6,750 nmi (7,770 mi, 12,500 km) range, with a High Speed Cruise: M0.85 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m) or the standard Long Range Cruise: M0.80 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m), and you can cover the ground with a Service ceiling: 51,000 ft (16,000 m)
 

 
Flying 41,000ft at m.80 is the dream of living with the Gods, but you can easily do that with this Gulfstream, it is a great simulation with high numbers. Fixes on the the instrument panels are high;  NavSource on Display Controller, squawk page in FMS3 radio panel, better RNP indicator on DU1/DU4 and fixed AoA indicator DU1/DU4, Stall warning system logic, Altitude mismatch on ALT tape and Autopilot FLCH mode.
 
Note a confusing thing is using the Autopilot. Noteable is that the G550 does not have an Autopilot, hence the trickery here... 
 

 
To activate the Autopilot, which is set below the Speed selector...  you press one of the screws on the left of the panel, hard to find if you don't know where it is, otherwise you get a yellow caution alert.
 
At Mach 80, faster if you want to, you travel and arrive at your destination quickly, here I'm back at EVRA Riga, Latvia.
 

 
You just like looking at the Gulfstream, because it is a very nice aircraft to look at...
 

 
I still can't work out how to ARM the Airbrakes for landing, press the button, positioned rear the centre console, but it doesn't ARM?
 

 
Nice 6º nose up flare, shows nice control in the flare, and you lower the power to sweetly touch the runway...  nice and easy.
 

 
Sounds haven't had much attention in the updates, but the reverse thrust is loud and powerful...
 

 
Flaps are MASSIVE, and lower to the full 39º...  The full landing configuration is shown on the PFD, and I really still can't get over how much I like this visual FLT arrangement, brake pressure is shown as well.
 

 
The Gulfstream 550, puts the world at your feet, it is an intercontinental flying machine, and in v1.10 it better than ever, not totally perfect, but a great simulation.
 
Summary
In world of the elite, then the word of Gulfstream is the biggest token you can play in this upper exclusive club. The Gulfstream G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series and that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
First an almost disclaimer on the review and the aircraft. The Gulfstream G550 is a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they have to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with, add the release right in the middle of a new X-Plane 12 Beta run, and you can expect a lot of bugs and weird things with the aircraft. It's not like that at all in context, in fact it flies very well. But it is very hard to do development on shifting sands.
 
This update review covers the extensive update list from the release aircraft (v1.0), to the current version v1.10.
 
The update list here is extremely long, but the main features are a new Cargo/Baggage area, with animated door, internal detail is very good. New Fuel Tanker, Two GPU AC/DC units and a smaller (scale) Tesla car, with a lot of touchups and details externally.
 
Cabin lighting has been totally redone, but still needs some fine tuning and stair lighting, but far better than the original set up. HUD HeadUp Display now works, as does the inclusion of DrGluck's Plugin v1.30+ that has Independent terrain display on the left and right displays, and a working Vertical Situation Display. Pilots have been added as has WingFlex, and a lot, a real lot of changes to the engine performance, flight model and custom performance for both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.
 
I still have a few quibbles, poor window surrounds, lighting still not right, default FMS, pop in/pop out Tanker and other quirks, but you have to understand to a point this aircraft (and by the extensive list of updates) is really still a work in progress, it has in reality come a very long way since it's release late October 2022, obviously released too early, but the developer has made some highly significant progress on the aircraft.
 
Personally I absolutely love the Gulfstream G550. X-Plane has wanted a really excellent transoceanic Private Jet for decades and here it is, it is also available in X-Plane 11 and more importantly in X-Plane 12 in the same value package of just over US$30. For your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems.
________________________________  
 
The Gulfstream 550 v1.10 by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
GLF550 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio
Price is US$31.95
 
This aircraft is now both X-Plane12 and X-Plane 11 supported
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.1 GB
Current version : 1.10 (February 7th 2023)   Download for the Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB
 
And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 2.53gb. Authorisation is required.
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Simbrief proflie is;
https://www.simbrief.com/system/dispatch.php?sharefleet=256234_1658264083720
 
Documents
AKD GLF550 Introduction.pdf FMS_Manual.pdf GLF550 Normal Checklist.pdf GLF550_air_conditioning_system.pdf GLF550_auxiliary_power_unit_(apu)_system.pdf GLF550_electrical_system.pdf GLF550_fire_protection_system.pdf GLF550_flight_control_system.pdf GLF550_fuel_system.pdf GLF550_hydraulic_system.pdf GLF550_ice_and_rain_protection_system.pdf GLF550_landing_gear_and_brakes_system.pdf GLF550_oxygen_system.pdf GLF550_pneumatic_system.pdf GLF550_powerplant_system.pdf GLF550_pressurization_system.pdf  
Changelog
Changelog v1.10.txt
Designed by AKD Studios
Support forum for the Gulfstream G550 _____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
18th February 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.01r3 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1  by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
- EVRA - Riga International Airport v2 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$18.50
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

NEWS! - SimBrief updated by Navigraph
 
The absolute horror of it...  they changed Simbrief!, it's almost a religion. Back on April 1st 2021 (note the April Fools Day reference), Navigraph acquired the free SimBrief virtual dispatch system.
 

 
Created in 2013 by "Derek", this extraordinary free tool will create a full virtual flight planning service. It features detailed fuel calculations for over 120 aircraft types, an extensive route database, real-world weather forecasts, current NOTAMs and ETOPS planning. It also allows you to also download a generated flightplan to install the created route. For myself it is the data to program the aircraft's route (via waypoint) plus the correct SID and STAR procedures, and fuel, passenger and cargo loading calculations. It is a simply invaluable tool to any simulation user.
 
Notable was Navigraph's change to their own Navigraph Charts 8 application only last November 2022. It was a significant change to the design and layout to charts, but months in it is a certainly a revolution in the way we access data information and airport charts. I absolutely love the design, and the application is well worth the subscription.
 
So now Navigraph have overhauled SimBrief as well... when I heard that I was really not sure about the idea at all...
 

 
Besides the fresh new clean look (very similar to Charts 8), and the changes include;
Improved Interface Personal flying statistics Dark mode and large text options A larger and more convenient interactive flight map Built-in airframes for popular third-party add-ons Improved alternate airport filters and options Easier sorting through saved flights and saved airframes A new and improved user guide ATC Flight Plan  
Start dashboard is very different with noted "Latest Flightplan", Your last flightplans over 30 days, Aircraft Types (30 Days) and your Navigraph Subscription, current AIRAC Cycle.
 

 
Yes the long form flightplan layout has now gone, with the Map/Route separated in to a new larger window panel, again it is all very Charts 8 in feel.
 

 
Dark mode is sensational, I'm also (very) happy the MAP has been moved out of the long form, and out of the way...   I had a problem with my Apple Mouse scrolling the zoom badly every time I went over it, it was a real distraction in repeatably zooming it back into context.
 

 
New is the ATC Flightplan (I never saw this before?) and is printable (copy and paste), and the long form Briefing is still there, but not as widely set...
 

 
Departure and Arrival Airport information is more detailed, which is also handy. Certainly the weather conditions, as also available in Charts 8.
 

 
Certainly there is a new format now to navigate. As with Charts 8, you will soon workout the new layout, if hunting for the same information in a different context. But the flow here and navigation looks far more better...  only grip is that you can't adjust the "30 Day" period use to a longer period?
 
A brilliant tool made now even better by Navigraph, also a good deal is that the tool is free and can be used in a Browser, on a PC, Mac, IOS and Android...  can be found here; SimBrief Dispatch System
 
What is not to like!
 
________________
  News by Stephen Dutton
17th February 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Right Reserved.  
 

NEWS! - Aircraft Update - Magknight 787 Aviator Edition v1.8.0
 

 
Almost monthly now, here is another update to the Magknight Boeing 787-8 and version v1.8.0. There is still no sign of a custom FMS, but this is still however a heavily customised version of the default FMS, so it doesn't look that out of place in the cockpit. But there is still no ETA of when the full custom FMS version is going to be installed.
 

 
v1.7.0
last months update focused on an Improved fuselage and cockpit art, Improved fuel system, automatic checklists and an active enroute CPDLC/ACARS using HOPPIE.
 
v1.8.0
There are a few new additions to the aircraft...
EFB performance calculations New flightmodel New GE3 engines including independent mapping Updated FMOD soundpack  
Most obvious is the new General Electric GEnx engines (69,800 lbf (310 kN)) in version -1B70, so now you will have both RR (Rolls Royce, top) and GE engines (lower). And notable is that the FMOD sounds and EFB performance have been upgraded to cater for the new engine variant.
 

 

 
In the bad news, your livery collection is again invalid, yes again...  so you will need to update all your liveries to v1.8.0, and there has been a special page set up to re-download the newly converted version liveries; 787-8 Liveries
 
X-Plane 12 will change a lot with the default graphics on the PFD (Primary Flight Display) and the MFD (Multi-Functional Display) after years of some very basic graphic elements. This v1.8.0 aircraft comes now with the updated SASL 3.14.5, which is also X-Plane12 compatible. This is shown here by the now much more custom graphics in the CDU and the PFD/MFD. We won't see the full dynamic impact until X-Plane12 is released, but you are now seeing these newer dynamic interfaces now actually being implemented, and that aspect is highly noticeable and exciting here. Notable also is to make sure you have the current Dr Gluck v1.28 TerrainRadar plugin.
 
The CDU has had however a few new features including;
Added new CDU pages Added NAV RAD and POS INIT/REF CDU pages Custom IRS/AHRU simulation Added CDU button highlights Added CDU help box Added custom nav radio simulation Added new CDU graphics
 
Brand new custom ND
Added custom PFD minimap, including TCAS Added DU startup sequence Added MFD screen popups Added ND/minimap turn rate indicator Added new custom moveable ND, including, terrain, weather and TCAS views Added PFD ADF visuals Changed MFD keyboard entry to not require focused components Increased ND max range to 1280nm Optional AviTab
Added optional avitab (required avitab plugin) Tablet shown on left and right cockpit sides, and is rotatable There is now also the option of the AviTab tool...  set besides the EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) it is very handy to use on both sides of the cockpit, but does also cover the tiller in horizontal mode. But yes it can also be rotated from the horizontal to the vertical positions. The AviTab is selected via the EFB/Settings menu
 


 
Other Items changed or updated are noted below, and notable is the removed GNS430 data set, the Magknight 788 only uses the main X-Plane default data from now on. Slowly but surely the default beginnings are being removed for a fully custom aircraft.
Added @cajunjosh cockpit hotspot to vrconfig Added custom wiper simulation Added ENG FUEL PRESS L,R eicas messages Added FUEL CONTROL commands Added N1 prediction arcs Added new mono typefaces Added optimum and maximum altitude calculations to EFB Added yaw-roll linkage Fixed next waypoint time Fixed NWS sensitivity changes at 80kts Fixed overhead panel button typefaces Improved cockpit textures to be brighter Improved keyboard entry to MFD displays Improved PFD artificial horizon colours MFD position reverts to default on double tap Reduced the size of some textures to save vram Removed dependency on GNS430 navdata Removed glass from legacy liveries Removed inactivity unlimited fuel Updated SASL to 3.14.5  
In the last few days we have seen the influence of X-Plane12, and here again it is noticeable in the update notes, your not going to get your goodies earlier, but you are seeing the aircraft already being converted ready, the next update should be even more significant in that regard.
 
Again the Magknight Boeing 787-8 makes another large stride forward, and it is now coming together, but I have to verify the performance and flying aspects...   Overall this aircraft is now emerging very nicely with here in this release a new GE engine option, AviTab, PFD/MFD and ND improvements, and making the Boeing 787-8 certainly now far more removed from it's very default beginnings.
_____________________
 

 
Yes! the Boeing 787-900 Aviator Edition Dreamliner v1.8.0 by Magknight is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
B787-9 Aviator Edition
Price is US$44.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 11 Fully updated
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM recommended Download Size:  1 GB Current version : 1.8 (May 23rd 2022) ________________  
NEWS! - Aircraft Update by Stephen Dutton 
24th May 2022
Copyright©2022 : X-Plane Reviews 
  
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All rights reserved
 

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.

Aircraft Update Review : Gulfstream 550 v1.10 by AKD Studio
 
Since it's release back 28th October 2022 there has been 10 (including this one) updates to the AKD Studio Gulfstream 550, obviously four months and with 10 updates in that time period, it shows the huge amount of the development that has changed on the aircraft in those few months, a lot obviously, and the changelogs are long. I'm not going to note all the fixes here in this update review, but only the ones that are significant.
 
I really liked the aircraft on it's release, but the G550 did however feel a little bit under developed, it is a new developer to the X-Plane platform as well in AKD Studio's so there is a lot to learn and refine, but the above changelogs shows the improvements are going in there and very quickly...  Release review; Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio
 

 
After four months both the Gulfstream 550 and X-Plane 12 feel far better than they did back in October...  as together they have both matured nicely.
 
Externally there have been small changes, however not still on the front windscreen surround, as they are still missing the screws? but the side windows now show the glass reflections, and not a hollow hole, so the fuselage as a whole feels far better (the cabin windows here on the G550 are really big).
 

 
Cabin window blinds/shades were added in v1.04, very nice.
 
Biggest change in v1.10, is the addition of a cargo hold area, this is on a revised menu "Ground Handling" page noting now an opening rear door, set below the Main Door operation.
 

 

 
Access can also be through the rear bathroom (new door) to the very well done cargo bay, I like the wire protected lights, a nice touch...  you can also open and close the cargo hatch manually from the inside.
 

 
More new features in v1.10 include both an AC and DC GPU's (Ground Power Units), and they are both well done, both available on the Ground Handling page.
 

 
The "Fuel" or loading page has been upgraded as well. You can set your fuel load by the + or -, but also by scrolling on the REQ TOTAL to add in or off load fuel...   When pressing SET you get now a well modeled tanker outside.
 
             
 
You can also set the cargo weight (both Kgs and Lbs are available), and finally your Passenger load of up to 16 Passengers, weights are adjusted to the loading parameters. Pressing BOARDING, will activate a Tesla Car (It takes ages to turn up) and proceeds to deliver passengers and luggage to the aircraft...  when done it goes away, to unload passengers you press the selection "Take Passengers to Terminal".
 

 
If you had read the release review, we have seen this Tesla before, but at the totally wrong scale. It is now the right scale, but in reality it is all still a bit odd isn't it...  I mean how would you get 16 passengers into a 5 seater Tesla? A Mercedes Bus would have been a better idea, the Tesla doesn't feel finished either?  The Fuel truck has an annoying foible as well, it appears simply out of nowhere, then suddenly disappears again when the aircraft is refueled, so there is no animation to the jet or in leaving? Static Elements can now also be selected to appear on startup. Other external notes include... wheels now actually touch the ground!
 
In v1.04 the internal lighting had an overhaul. There are sixteen individual sets of lights around the huge cabin, these can be all switched on or off manually at each light, or on the selections of the CABIN LIGHTS Menu page...
 

 
Thankfully you can "Turn on all Lights", and do the same to turn them all off again...
 

 
And very nice it all is in the cabin...  there is a secondary lighting page that covers three areas, rear Bathroom and each side downwash lights...  This gives you a more softer cabin feel, and lights up separately the bathroom.
 

 
It does also help lighting up the galley area which was extremely dark before, and sort of the entrance, which I complained about in the release review. Oddly the Red on to the Green off selections are the opposite of the cabin lighting commands?
 
Lighting is better, but it still doesn't quite all work? as separate galley and baggage area lighting is what is really required here, and you still some entrance lighting missing... the stairs have the inbuilt lighting elements shown, but it doesn't work... as light bleed into the cockpit with no door is a problem?
 

 
External lighting was upgraded in v1.05. It is very good, if the main landing lights a bit over bright? There are Navigation, Strobe, Beacon (belly), Ice/Wing and wheelwell lights..  the tail light is too dull to be effective.
 

 
Cockpit lighting is good, and it comes with a lot of adjustments, with glareshield dropdown lighting, yoke, overhead and side panel lighting.
 

 
The only thing I didn't like, was that I couldn't dial out the footwell lighting...  this made bright reflections upwards on to the instrument displays, so an all dark cockpit was not possible.
 
While we are still in the cabin, the window frames are still quite average and they come with nasty gaping holes and badly fitted cabin (glass) windows. Yes while flying you do have to look through these badly made windows and I'm not in liking the view!...  however the "Time to Destination" has been added to the Cabin Display.
 

 
Don't get me wrong here, the lighting is now very good, but still needs more refinement to be effective, or totally realistic.
 
Instruments
The HUD (Head Up Display) now works...  just touch it to drop it down. You have to adjust it, as the form and lettering is too thick and that is done via the knob above, it works, but it's not the best available, it also still feels like a WIP.
 

 
"Banana" indicator is now working on the PFD. On the MAP/MFD you now have the Terrain Radar working as well. It is the DrGluck (Plugin v1.30+) tool and the plugin is required. The Terrain shows the Independent terrain display on both the left and right displays, and it also gives you a working Vertical Situation Display.
 

 
I always had issues with the METAR report on the menu. Add in your ICAO code and the system would freeze, or CTD. Now it works, but not by pressing the PRINT METAR? but by doing a keystroke RETURN, still very odd?  But at least you now don't freeze the Sim. Support for 8.33 kHz radios is now also available.
 

 
Flying v1.10 Gulfstream 550
For updating the Skunkcraft's Updater now works with the aircraft, thankfully with so many updates it is a very useful tool.  In v1.07 in December, a Manual was also delivered (by Ivan Luciani), seriously you had to wait two months for a Manual, and you wonder why reviewing is hard without developer notes.
 
Look closely and you will find now there are pilots flying the aircraft, they are the default Laminar Pilots, but still a great addition.
 

 
In v1.05, there was a lot of performance changes (a change over to SASL v3.15 was also completed) by AKD. I found the release aircraft not to bad to fly actually...  but in the takeoff roll and climbout, it was even far better in this later version.
 

 
Changes include engine performance, flight model and better airfoils. And the new wingflex is also very noticeable, mainly because it wasn't done before?
 

 
It is worth noting that the engine performance and flight models, are tuned to each different X-Plane version, X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11. Obviously the X-Plane 12 dynamics are better, as felt here. Added or refined is the rain effects (V1.03) on both forward windscreen and side cabin windows
 

 
The AKD G550, is a quite complicated aircraft to fly, there is a lot of detail to cover in here with the Symmetry Flight Deck, and the specific glareshield "Display Controller" system. But it is well worth the effort to do so. I will admit I'm not crazy about the manuals? There is a lot of them in sixteen categories, but they are done in a drawing layout? Interesting in one way as the detail is very good...  but odd in another.
 

 
Specifications are; Range 6,750 nmi (7,770 mi, 12,500 km) range, with a High Speed Cruise: M0.85 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m) or the standard Long Range Cruise: M0.80 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m), and you can cover the ground with a Service ceiling: 51,000 ft (16,000 m)
 

 
Flying 41,000ft at m.80 is the dream of living with the Gods, but you can easily do that with this Gulfstream, it is a great simulation with high numbers. Fixes on the the instrument panels are high;  NavSource on Display Controller, squawk page in FMS3 radio panel, better RNP indicator on DU1/DU4 and fixed AoA indicator DU1/DU4, Stall warning system logic, Altitude mismatch on ALT tape and Autopilot FLCH mode.
 
Note a confusing thing is using the Autopilot. Noteable is that the G550 does not have an Autopilot, hence the trickery here... 
 

 
To activate the Autopilot, which is set below the Speed selector...  you press one of the screws on the left of the panel, hard to find if you don't know where it is, otherwise you get a yellow caution alert.
 
At Mach 80, faster if you want to, you travel and arrive at your destination quickly, here I'm back at EVRA Riga, Latvia.
 

 
You just like looking at the Gulfstream, because it is a very nice aircraft to look at...
 

 
I still can't work out how to ARM the Airbrakes for landing, press the button, positioned rear the centre console, but it doesn't ARM?
 

 
Nice 6º nose up flare, shows nice control in the flare, and you lower the power to sweetly touch the runway...  nice and easy.
 

 
Sounds haven't had much attention in the updates, but the reverse thrust is loud and powerful...
 

 
Flaps are MASSIVE, and lower to the full 39º...  The full landing configuration is shown on the PFD, and I really still can't get over how much I like this visual FLT arrangement, brake pressure is shown as well.
 

 
The Gulfstream 550, puts the world at your feet, it is an intercontinental flying machine, and in v1.10 it better than ever, not totally perfect, but a great simulation.
 
Summary
In world of the elite, then the word of Gulfstream is the biggest token you can play in this upper exclusive club. The Gulfstream G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series and that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
First an almost disclaimer on the review and the aircraft. The Gulfstream G550 is a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they have to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with, add the release right in the middle of a new X-Plane 12 Beta run, and you can expect a lot of bugs and weird things with the aircraft. It's not like that at all in context, in fact it flies very well. But it is very hard to do development on shifting sands.
 
This update review covers the extensive update list from the release aircraft (v1.0), to the current version v1.10.
 
The update list here is extremely long, but the main features are a new Cargo/Baggage area, with animated door, internal detail is very good. New Fuel Tanker, Two GPU AC/DC units and a smaller (scale) Tesla car, with a lot of touchups and details externally.
 
Cabin lighting has been totally redone, but still needs some fine tuning and stair lighting, but far better than the original set up. HUD HeadUp Display now works, as does the inclusion of DrGluck's Plugin v1.30+ that has Independent terrain display on the left and right displays, and a working Vertical Situation Display. Pilots have been added as has WingFlex, and a lot, a real lot of changes to the engine performance, flight model and custom performance for both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.
 
I still have a few quibbles, poor window surrounds, lighting still not right, default FMS, pop in/pop out Tanker and other quirks, but you have to understand to a point this aircraft (and by the extensive list of updates) is really still a work in progress, it has in reality come a very long way since it's release late October 2022, obviously released too early, but the developer has made some highly significant progress on the aircraft.
 
Personally I absolutely love the Gulfstream G550. X-Plane has wanted a really excellent transoceanic Private Jet for decades and here it is, it is also available in X-Plane 11 and more importantly in X-Plane 12 in the same value package of just over US$30. For your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems.
________________________________  
 
The Gulfstream 550 v1.10 by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
GLF550 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio
Price is US$31.95
 
This aircraft is now both X-Plane12 and X-Plane 11 supported
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.1 GB
Current version : 1.10 (February 7th 2023)   Download for the Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB
 
And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 2.53gb. Authorisation is required.
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Simbrief proflie is;
https://www.simbrief.com/system/dispatch.php?sharefleet=256234_1658264083720
 
Documents
AKD GLF550 Introduction.pdf FMS_Manual.pdf GLF550 Normal Checklist.pdf GLF550_air_conditioning_system.pdf GLF550_auxiliary_power_unit_(apu)_system.pdf GLF550_electrical_system.pdf GLF550_fire_protection_system.pdf GLF550_flight_control_system.pdf GLF550_fuel_system.pdf GLF550_hydraulic_system.pdf GLF550_ice_and_rain_protection_system.pdf GLF550_landing_gear_and_brakes_system.pdf GLF550_oxygen_system.pdf GLF550_pneumatic_system.pdf GLF550_powerplant_system.pdf GLF550_pressurization_system.pdf  
Changelog
Changelog v1.10.txt
Designed by AKD Studios
Support forum for the Gulfstream G550 _____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
18th February 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.01r3 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1  by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
- EVRA - Riga International Airport v2 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$18.50
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

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

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.
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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.
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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.
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Yes! the Cessna 337F Skymaster DGS series by Thranda Design is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: 
 
Cessna 337F Skymaster DGS series
Price is US$39.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.4 GB Current version 1.0.3* (February 1st 2023) *Updates via the Skunkcrafts Updater
 
Special features:
    FULLY configurable 3D instrument panel.     Fully VR Compatible     Interchangeable yoke styles     Over 50 instruments to choose from! (Including Aspen EFD 1000, and support for RealityXP 650 and GTN750)     Move any instrument to any location on the panel, or even between pilot and copilot's panel!     Comes with 4 panel presets, but can easily be expanded by moving instruments around, using a simple and intuitive interface.     Lighting is fully 3D, and dynamically move along with the instruments, as you configure the panel.     Ability to assign a lighting index to individual instruments, to allow different lighting knobs to be assigned on a per-instrument basis.     Save your own presets, and even share them with the community!     Almost every instrument can be popped up or popped out as a 2D floating window! They can be placed on other monitors as well.     Instruments can be moved in 3D directly, on a 2D pop-up preview window, or by numerical entry for precise placement.     GNS430 and 530 can be swapped out, but a restart of the plane is required, as 430s and 530s are mutually exclusive in terms of compatibility in X-Plane     Dynamic livery editor (like in the Kodiak, the Beaver, the Wilga, the Caravan, the C206, and the Pilatus PC-6)     Full PBR control! Create stunning metallic liveries, or matte, sand-blasted look in mere seconds!     Additional control over dirt/scratches, adjustable in real-time to dial in the exact desired amount of wear and tear.       Create "virtual" liveries, based on two basic common design layouts (Modern and Classic), and assign any colour to any available paint segment.     Quickly create preview of livery in real-time, using intuitive controls.  Previews include visualization of metallic materials and dirt overlays.     Apply selected livery in real-time, right in the sim, without the need to even touch a 3rd party image editor!     Option to change the tail number in real-time, or disable it altogether. (Enter a "space" instead of a callsign number to create a blank tail number.)     Easily and quickly create dozens of paint schemes in-sim!     Also includes 9 traditionally painted liveries, all visible in a convenient pre-selection preview window.     Ability to swap pilot/co-pilot figures     Uses SkunkCrafts Updater.  Option to participate in Beta program, via checkbox in SkunkCrafts Updater.     Excellent hi-res PBR realistic materials, featuring true-to-life plate deformation and to-the-rivet precision.     Fully modelled Continental IO-320-F front engine.     Windshield ice and rain effects     Individual functional circuit breakers. Feature-rich elegant fly-out menu with the following features:
    Electric tug, with in-panel controls to move forward/backward at the desired speed, and steer proportionally     Control over chocks, individual tie-downs, covers, internal lights, external lights, etc.     Option to enable/disable Cargo Pod, with realistically simulated weight, momentum, rotational inertia, and drag characteristics.     Option to start up running (all systems ready), or cold-and-dark, for realistic startup procedures, directly from this fly-out menu.     Control landing lights, strobes, beacon, and nav lights via fly-out menu     Detailed weight and balance manager with visual chart, individual passenger seat weight control, Lbs/KG unit toggle, CG control, external tank control, and the option to save and load configuration.     Show or hide individual seats, to create a hybrid passenger/cargo version.     When seats are hidden, cargo fills the space when weight is added via the fly-out menu.     Multiple camera snap points, above and beyond what's available by default in X-Plane, so you can perform your walk around checks.     Adjust your camera's Field of View without having to go to an X-plane menu, allowing for real-time adjustments.     Audio mixer: individually control audio channels in real-time, so you can adjust volumes while hearing them play.     Slew control: move your plane around the world, temporarily bypassing flight physics.  Includes ground mode and air mode.     Dynamic panel control page, with a separate view for the entire panel layout preview, or a per-instrument view, allowing for fine-tuning of instrument position, as well as copy-paste function to quickly replace instruments.     Option to swap pilot and co-pilot     Option to select different yoke styles     DynaFeel panel: Dial in precisely how you wish for the controls to react as a function of speed.     Optional de-ice system Flight dynamics and systems:
    Detailed and accurate flight dynamics and weight and balance with the help of multiple real-world active Stationair pilots.  This not only gives this aircraft the proper "feel", but also accurate takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing performance.     The C337 is a well-behaved twin airplane, where the engines are in line, with props spinning in opposite directions, cancelling out torque on the airframe     A single engine failure doesn't radically affect flight behaviour, as the engines are in line, and don't produce a net yaw force on the plane, as other twins do.     Tie-downs and chocks actually keep the plane from moving, even in high winds.     DynaFeel: controls that simulate how strongly the control surfaces are affected by oncoming air, and how much strength would be needed to overcome these forces.   Advanced FMOD-based sound system:
    High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth, finely tuned transitions (actually having calculated the precise beat frequency for each section, to minimize "muddy" transition sounds), and amazing atmospheric effects.     Individual volume control over different aspects of the sound experience, adjustable in real-time (while listening to the sounds)     Individual sounds for front and back engine, with different sonic characteristics, as a result of their placement.     Different sounds for front of plane than for back of plane     Panning around the plane in exterior view yields awesome 3D audio effects, including "blade slapping" sound when view is perpendicular to prop     Far away sounds include aerodynamic interaction effects between front and rear prop.  At a distance, you hear overtones caused by turbulent air feeding into the rear prop.     Individual buttons and switches in the cockpit each have their own unique sound.     Engine has typical cool-down ticking sound, based on engine temperature.     Sounds actually give you clues as to what's happening under the hood.       Outside wind intensity is affected by slip and AoA. (The more the surface area of the fuselage is hit by oncoming wind, the louder the sounds     Doors and windows opening, let outside sounds in  
Installation and documents:  download for the Thranda_C337F. is 1.34Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
 
Full Installation is 1.71Gb
 
Documents supplied are:
C337F Manual.pdf C337F Performance Charts Changelog Thranda Graphics Settings XP11 Thranda Joystick Settings X-Plane G430 Manual X-Plane G530 Manual  
There is a huge amount of Documentation provided here, not only for the Thranda C337F, but including performance charts, reference guides, but also X-Plane/hardware settings and custom and default avionics.
 
All updates are via built-in Skunkcrafts Updater
 
Support forum for the C337 Skymaster by Thranda
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Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.01r3 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
__________________________________
 
Review by Stephen Dutton
2nd February 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions.
 

 

NEWS! - Scenery Released : KSMF Sacramento International Airport by TaiModels
 

 
A new year in 2023 and already another new scenery from TaiModels. This time it is California, in good old USA and Sacramento International Airport.
 
Sacramento International Airport (KSMF) is located 10.5 miles (16.9 km) northwest of Downtown Sacramento in Sacramento County, California, United States and covers 6,000 acres (2,400 ha).
 
KSMF serves the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, and it is run by the Sacramento County Airport System. The airport is the main gateway to the California State Capitol.
 
The airport is also a gateway to the attractions and adventures in Northern and Central California such as Heavenly Mountain Resort, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Old Sacramento State Historic Park history of gold rush, underground tunnels, floods, and fire, etc., Wine Country, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Cosumnes River Preserve, Hawver Cave and Sutter's Mill and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.
 
Features
Highly detailed 3D modeling SAM amination jetways High quality PBR texture on object and ground High performance Completed autogen around airport Ground traffic plugins( car and truck) Compatible with XP11 and XP12 Includes weather textures in X-Plane 12  

 

 

 
Images courtesy of TaiModels ________________________________________
 

 
The KSMF - Sacramento International Airport by TaiModels is now available from the X-Plane.OrgStore!...    Here:
 
KSMF - Sacramento International Airport
Price is US$20.50
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Minimum  Download Size: 710 MB Current version : 1.0 (January 2nd 2023) ________________   NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
4th 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) All Right Reserved.  
 

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.
 

 

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.

Update Review : JARDesign A320neo Version 1.5

JARDesign have updated the A320neo to version 1.5 from the interm beta1.5 that I covered on the 7th August 2013. Although noted as just an tuning upgrade there is significantly far more in this release that warrants a look over to see what has also been released.
 

 
First there is a common theme coming out of these upgrade releases and that is that JARDesign are intending to keep you on the ground as long as possible before letting you fly anywhere. Most of the items added are all features that getting ready for flight is becoming a ritual and not just a set this or that and then start your engines and taxi out.

The aircraft GPS alignment to which I have honed down to 12 minutes, Has now been lengthened by three extra features.

Fuel Truck
Load Panel
FollowMe Car
 

 
Fuel Truck (released in update 1.2)
In my haste to get airbourne I noted in the 1.5b notes that I took off from Brisbane (YBBN) to go south to Sydney (YSSY) and promptly ran out of fuel over Northern NSW.

(menu : Fuel) The Fuel panel allows you to select your fuel (preselected) requirements and then allowing the fuel truck to (refuel) your tanks in its own time is great reality simulation, watching the fuel numbers go up in the cockpit while your are programming the FMS (or FMGS in Airbus speak) shows how good this simulation is getting.
Any fuel load left in your tanks after your last simulation will be still there on the startup of the new one.
 

 
Load Panel
The Load Panel (menu : Load) has now been added over the Fuel Panel. This allows you to set the aircraft load of Passengers and Freight. Passengers are listed as (F) First Class and (A) the rest of cattle class, and Cargo (CRGF) front and (CRGA) rear. The menu will tell you your Payload Weight in (Tons) and shows you your CG% (Centre of Gravity) and your THS ((Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer) which has to be set manually.

The panel allows you to quickly set your load factors, but does not have the adjustable CG settings that (FlyJSim’s) aircraft use.
 


 
FollowMe Car (Option)
You have now the option of purchasing the option of a “FollowMe Car” (Ver 1.3 and over)

Cost US$2.99 - FollowMe Car for A320neo
 

 
First of all there is already a FollowMe Car folder in the Custom Avionics folder of the A320neo, It won’t work unless you replace it with the purchased version and then the FM (in the menu) will then be activated.

Secondly you must have two items available to use the function.
1) The Airport must have the ATC routes set out correctly.
2) you must set your FMGS (route) into the FMS system (in other words you must set the Departure and Arrival - Airports and runways into FMS before they show up on the FollowMe Car Menu)

First the popup menu screen will show your Departure and Arrival Airports. Then when you select the airport it will give you a selection of taxiways. You select you first taxiway and then your second selection and then each taxiway you want to select until you reach your hold point on the runway.

It is all very clever but with a couple of issues. One if you make a mistake you have to start again using the (CLR) button... your route is built up on the bottom of the screen and it would be great just to go back one entry to fix the wrong selection than straight back to the start to input in the points all over again.
Secondly if the airport is big (I used KDFW Dallas Fort Worth) it can be extremely hard to find the right taxiways and the right route.  too many options and too many the same taxiway points means starting over and over again to get the right route you want.

When all the taxi points are inserted (in the right order) then press RUN to activate.

This will bring up the main menu. And it will note your:
Distance to FM Car in feet
FM Car speed
FM Cars position (Taxiway)
Show path Markers
Change the FM car’s speed (knts) in either to DEC (slow) or INC (increase speed)
 

 
Showing path markers gives you the route the FM car will use. It’s a great feature but wouldn’t they be better to help you lay out the route?... here it is too late. To see a line of markers from one taxiway point to the next would be ideal in choosing your route and direction around the airport.

FM Car will appear when you pressed the RUN button and it will come and set itself in up your windshield and wait there till you start to move forward

The FM Car speed adjustment is a great feature (I use 15knts which is ideal) and once you start your forward movement the FM Car will move along before you... Setting the 15knts means the car will stay at 15Knts even if you go faster, in doing that it allows you to set your correct pace and speed as to not run it over...  I loved this in that you have to pace the aircraft to the FM car and it will just not stay at the same speed as the aircraft but the distance between the two objects do contract and expand as you move - clever yes!
 

 
When the route is completed the FM Car will move out of you way and park up behind you...  The takeoff bit and flying the aircraft is your job.

It works very well. And when you arrive at your destination if you have set up the route, the FM Car is waiting for you.

A bit of practise would make this FM Car work really well. But I would like a better quicker way of laying out complex routes. (there is a video by JARDesign on how to install the FM Car and use the system - the video is at the bottom of this update)

You start to see the workload coming into focus here (And don’t get me wrong this is great simulation). You have to set up the GPS alignment, put in the fuel, set the aircraft load program, input the route into the FMGS and preferences and now  if you have the FM Car set up the route at your departure and destination airports - so how long does that all take?

A long time and especially if you have a long route to program into the FMGS, you can’t save routes remember?
So every time you start a flight you have to have the route listed and ready to input into the system. Why can’t you save routine routes?...

Terrain on ND
This newly added function allows you to use the TERR ON ND button the main panel (one for each the Pilot and Co-Pilot)
 

 
The button has three modes: Normal (off), display camera view and display terrain. All items are shown on your ND (Navigation Display).

The first selection is really the X-Plane MAP on the screen, but how handy is this as it can show you your position at the airport. Great for finding taxiways and then to find your terminals and gates and you can easily align the aircraft correctly.
Up in the air and you can see your position relative to the ground on the map. Slide into to a turn and the map goes into an angle position again relative to the ground and if you don’t go “woah!” with that you then owe me a dollar.

The “display terrain” selection will put the ND into blocky squares to show the terrain under the aircraft.
 

 
On the ground the screen is full of large squares. In the air you have to find some terrain to see the system at work. I don’t recommend flying at 280knts and at 10,000ft, straight into a set of mountains in a fully loaded A320. But you get the idea.
Does it work? - not really no, as the squares are to big and I was brushing the snow off the tops of peaks and they only went into two colours of green. far smaller squares would give you a better pattern, but overall another clever feature.
 

 
So how does all this feel like?   Once refueled, loaded, and everything programmed into the FMGS I flew the standard sector between Brisbane (YBBN) to Cairns (YBCS) of which I have done countless times.

Using the pushback I have taught myself to leave the park brake alone, turn to the “off” position can confuse the pushback truck, It will release and lock the brakes for you on the movement backwards and after finishing the pushback. Just that old habits die hard. Taxi was great with no issues in holding my correct taxi speed. You would be surprised on how many other aircraft it is hard to do just this.

Roll and takeoff was none eventful, but again I had to adjust to setting the V/S (Vertical Speed) before the system allows you to select “speed” on the throttle and engaging the A/T (Auto Thrust).

Familiarity is a great learner, and especially here. It is a complex system that has been made easy to operate. but you have to be aware of how complex this aircraft is to operate. Get it right and the rewards are overwhelming.
 
The 1.5b fixed that 3º nose down issue and here in the final 1.5 update it is great and you can now also change the pitch in flight. watch the speed though as I pushed m.83 it sent the A/P into alarm, stay at m.82 and that speed will keep it happy and contented.
 

 
Arrival at Cairns was through three waypoints (fixes) UPOLO, SUNNY and CODIE. It is a tricky approach and I wanted to be closer on the turn but the FMGS would not accept the fix BCSNI for some reason, and I felt that CODIE was to far north. The problem with RWY 15 approach is that if you get the turn wrong there is a row of mountains that can ruin any simulation.
I rarely get this approach quite right, as an adjustment to the runway angle is always needed. This time I was impressed as the A320 turned a very nice wide arc from the SUNNY fix to the CS15 approach fix (using CODIE as an alignment fix) and lined me up perfectly with RWY 15. I was tempted to use the OVERFLY key at this point in the route to create the same sort of course, but it wasn’t required.

A noted irritant is the fact that you can’t use the mouse to set things on the pedestal, The flaps, the trim wheels or the airbrakes are not adjustable with the mouser, and only the park brake is accessible?

So you can’t set the flaps (I have to use my joystick buttons via the key menu) and worse arm the airbrakes of which there is no key mode (and only the "all airbakes up") and so the automatic deployment is not available.
 

 
On the ground the easy menu system turns the aircraft into a credible parked visual experience. Doors open, ground power in attendance...  Catering truck in position. I loved it all. As the night was falling I noticed that the tail lighting lit only on the right side with HDR off?...  To check I turned the HDR on and the lighting was now correct.
The cockpit lighting in HDR was incredibly good, but destroyed your frame-rate sadly, In fact all through this simulation the frame-rate had felt far better than in past flying on the JARDesign A320, and even at the point of sitting in the 3d cockpit tuning the aircraft for flight, of which in the past sometimes would put my frame-rate below that crucial 19fr and less and give me the shudders... here it did feel far better all though the flight and at each end with the heavier airport sceneries in context.

One final note on that if you like to replay your landings. Just make sure you close all your doors and stowaway any vehicles before hitting the replay selection...  

...  If not you will have all the doors open in flight and your catering truck is still loading the aircraft while on finals!

I like in-flight catering but this is going to far.

The A320neo from JARDesign is certainly one of the great experiences in X-Plane. It does require a lot of attention and routine to get the very best out of the aircraft...  but incredibly rewarding this aircraft is. With the A380 Airbus from Peter’s Aircraft and VMAX’s Boeing 777, the Airbus A320neo is one of the best aircraft you can invest in. And the 1.5 upgrade is another decent upgrade that sets out some really great features and fixes a few issues that needed attention, It is challenging this A320neo and it is complex, but you will love it for years.
 

 
 
 
__________________________________________
Stephen Dutton
13th September 2013
copyright©X-PlaneReviews 2013
 
You can get the 1.5 update here : A320neo update 1.5
 
The JAR Design A320neo is available from the X-Plane .org Store:
 
For US$39.00  - Airbus A320 Neo
 
Developer site: JARDesign A320neo
 
Version 1.5 list of changes:
+Tuned flightmodel.
+Change pitch when flying at high speed and altitude.
+Add ability to show Terrain On ND. The TerrOnND button now has three modes – normal, displaying terrain, displaying camera view.
+Add Load panel at left Ground menu. Now you can select how much pax and how much tons of cargo you have load. IMPORTANT – for Takeoff you need set THS manually, as calculated at panel.
 
Review System Specifications:
Computer System:     
- 2.66 Ghz Intel Core i5 iMac 27”
- 6 Gb 1067 Mhz DDR3
- ATI Radeon HD 4850 512mb
Software:     
- Mac OS MountainLion 10.8.2
- X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.22 (final)
- ExtremeSceneryMAXX
Addons
- Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle
 

 

Aircraft Update : Airbus A321-231 V1.3.1 by ToLiSS
 
The release of the Airbus A340-600 from ToLiSS was very significant aircraft for the developer. Most of the essential aspects including the modeling was brought in house by ToLiSS on the A346. And with those changes also came a more in-contact or hands on approach to more of the aircraft. This has created a breakthrough of more elements and systems being available and installed in the aircraft, plus the point that more external X-Plane features have since been released.
 
The Airbus A321 added on the NEO or the "New Engine Option", in the more modern new-generation engines developments like with a larger by-pass ratio (around 10-11:1. ) and Geared Turbofan (GTF) technology engines in exactly one year ago.
 

 
So here is update V1.3.1 including an update to the NEO addon package.
 
Changes from build 1373 (V1.3) to build 1463 (V1.3.1)
Minor new features:
- Electrical system now allows both batteries to feed the same bus simultaneously
- Electrical system now supports Battery charging test by switching them off and on.
- Added cargo heating simulation
- Added fuel temperature simulation
- Added IDG temperature simulation
- Rework of the SD COND, FUEL, and ELEC pages for better representational accuracy
- Added overflow management for the SD status page
- ISCS sliders now allow editing the values with keyboard for better precision
- Cargo fire extinguishing test is now operational
- Fault injections can now trigger on increasing or on decreasing values of altitude and air speed
- Added approach procedure on status page in case of alternate or direct mode reversion
- Added Backup Nav tuning to RMPs 1 and 2
- FCU lighting knobs below the FCU are now functional.
- New external lighting
- Addition of the smart thrust lever idle lock
- Simplified CHOCKS option to allow switching off the park brake
- Improved manual engine start procedure
- Added NavAid Deselection capability to MCDU
- A321 NEO now features appropriate NEO-specific pitch rotation and derotation laws
Bug fixes:
- DC BAT indication on SD ELEC Page becomes invalid, if both Batteries are selected off
- Generator is now cut off, as soon as the ENG fire push button is pressed, even if the engine is still running on the fuel in the line
- Fuel system crossfeed works correctly now, feeding equally from both tanks even when all pumps are on.
- When preselecting a heading on ground, the FCU heading window will initialize with the current heading
- Reduced IRS drift values by half for more realistic values
- Engine Fire lights now work on battery power to faciliate procedure completion on ground
- Corrected behaviour of FADEC ground power switches, they are now momentary switches that will power the FADEC for 5 minutes when depressed once.
- Made behaviour of CLR button XPDR panel more realisitc
- When selecting flaps 1 for landing, the Status page will now be called (As it should) if status is not normal
- When status paged called automatically, the STS key now lights up and can be used to remove the status page
- When Using Auto Brake to full stop, pressing pedals won't disengage it like is the case in real life
- Now properly converting fuel amounts from kgs to lbs on PERF pages when imperial units selected
- Miscellaneous FMGS fixes
- Fixed FBW roll angle limits
- Improved AP turn direction depending on FCU heading rotation knob
- Corrected altnernate law reversion and AP loss logics for elevator loss cases
- Fixed erroneous ECAM fault messages for center tank pumps
- Fixed ECAM action logics for dual pack faults
- Fixed Air conditioning sound loop in XP10
- VR manipulator improvements
- Removed CTR TK FEEDING Memo from ECAM (exists only on aircraft with 5 wing tank fuel system config)
- On FLS approaches, the message "DISCONNECT AP FOR LDG" disappears now on GA initiation
- The SEC PERF page of the A321 NEO now correctly shows BARO and RADIO instead of the old MDA/DH
- Improvements to the list of inop systems for electrical bus failures
- Manual engine start now uses both igniter channels
- MCDU Prog Page shows flight number again
- If landing without retarding the thrust levers, firewalling the levers correctly changes A/THR modes
- Added missing wind field on Data/IRS page
 
The A321 aircraft feature changes almost mirror the A319-112, so many of the images shown and notes below are the same as we reported in the A319 update v1.6.3
  The integrated standby instrument system (ISIS) is now scalable via scrolling, it doesn't make it bigger, but does make it far more smaller.     The SD (Systems Display) has had the COND, FUEL, and ELEC pages for better representational accuracy and also added is overflow management for the SD status page.     On the ELEC, the electrical system now allows both batteries to feed the same bus simultaneously and you can do battery charging test by just switching them off and on. Switch off both batteries and then turn them back on to see the test and the voltage irregularities.     On an Airbus aircraft the IDG(Integrated Drive Generator) is an aircraft power generation device which houses a Continuously Variable Transmission(CVT) to generate 400Hz constant frequency power regardless of the engine speed. That generation temperature (one per engine) is now simulated on the ELEC page.     Fuel temperatures are also now simulated (on the SD ELEC page).     Cargo Heating temperatures are also now simulated (on the SD COND page). And the Cargo fire extinguishing test (button) is now also operational.     On the "ToLiSS Interactive Simulation Control System" TISCS pop-up Menu panel. You can now insert the numbered data directly into the slider selections. Certainly a big fan of this aspect as I like to insert the correct Fuel Load to the EXACT block amount required for the flight, I find that sliders are just a little too wishy washy.       When the STBY NAV button is selected it enables remotely tuning the respected navaid and desired course. Each RMP (Radio Management Panel) tunes to it's respective navaid. Tuning and ILS on either RMP tunes both ILS receivers if both RMPs have their NAV button pressed.     Now in v1.6.3 the two under glareshield knobs work. These adjusts the  FCU (Flight Control Unit) lighting. The right knob adjusts the brightness on the display, the second left knob adjusts the main instrument back lighting.     The downlights are  still adjusted via the FLOOD LT knob (Captain's Side) and improved here. In the A321 it has the secondary down lighting knob adjusters which are usually situated both under the glareshield of which provide illumination for the pull-out work-shelves, that are available now in the A346, but with a hope they will also become available also on the A321 (and the A319).     The A321's external lighting has had some nice tweaking. Turn on your main landing lights and get now two beams striking boldly forward into the distance, brilliant in cloud. The Navigation lights,Tail and Wing lighting is all far tighter and better, but the strobes are still a bit too blobby for me, exactly again like the A319.     On approach the forward lighting is certainly more efficient with very nice effective wing and tail lighting. I really like the cockpit atmosphere for the night landings, almost perfect now...     ...   and on the ground the Taxi lights are certainly better, as is the efficient Runway Turnoff lighting. So overall a great improvement. Not that there is more work to do, as there are still dead overhead lighting in the cockpit, and the cabin lighting is certainly still far too brightly lit... but it is a nice forward improvement.     It is already Christmas in Vienna, with lots of pretty snow.     ____________________   Summary ToLiSS has updated the Airbus A321-231 NEO to v1.3.1 The updates include both the Basic A321 package and the addon year old NEO option.   Mostly this update was to bring to the A321 some of the features that were presented on the newer A340-600, that was released back in October 2021 and the A319 which was updated last week. There is nothing really outstanding here, but still includes those small intricate system details that create a whole experience, the main feature is the far better tweaking of the cockpit and external lighting, the RMP STBY NAV intergration and TISCS Menu panel direct numbered data input.   Over the last few years this very popular version of the Airbus A321 Series has become extremely popular in X-Plane, and it is not hard to see why as it is a brilliant airliners to fly in both CEO (Current Engine Option) and the NEO (New Engine Option). And not only for it's complex systems but even in manual flight it is dream handling aircraft, and certainly a must have if you love short-haul airliners. This v1.3.1 update just adds even more of those intricate features on to the cake, like a lot of airlines at this development stage the ToLiSS versions are moving into a more mature context, certainly more features can still be added (and probably will be)... but it is already extremely good aircraft, and certainly and will always be a firm fan favorite...      Highly Recommended ________________________
 

 
Yes! the ToLiSS321 (A321-231) v1.3.1 by ToLiSS is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Airbus A321 by ToLiSS
Price is US$79.00
 
A321 NEO ADD-ON to the ToLiss Airbus A321
Price is US$29.95
 
Note make sure you have v1.3.1 and both CEO and NEO Packages when downloading, All previous purchasers can now update via your X-Plane.OrgStore Account
 
Officially licensed Airbus product Highlights Detailed FMGS with SIDs/STARs/Airways, performance prediction, temporary, alternate and secondary flight plans, fix info, etc. Choice of CFM or IAE engine, affecting aircraft performance and fuel burn Choice of sharklets or classic wing tip fences. (Affects aircraft drag.) Very accurate FBW implementation, including reversion to alternate and direct law Detailed systems including fault injection for currently about 90 failures. (Electric, hydraulic, flight controls, engine, etc.) Officially licensed by Airbus Commercial “Turbine Sound Studios” sounds for CFM and IAE engines included. Detailed FMGS: Support of SID/STAR, including all leg types (Arc, course or heading to intercept, Radius to Fix, Holdings, etc.) Temporary and alternate flight plans Secondary flight plan Full VNAV guidance with TOC, TOD, Deceleration point, speed limits, fuel prediction, etc. Altitude and speed constraints as the real aircraft deals with them Ability to change the selected STAR while already in the STAR Support for go-arounds and diversions Step altitudes Airway support Fix Info page Latitude/Longitude crossings 2 independent MCDUs and autopilots Drag, thrust and fuel consumption models adapt to selected engine type and wing tip device Choice between new FMGS with temporary flight plan even during preflight phase or old FMGS with direct editing of the active plan during preflight phase. Top-notch aircraft systems: ToLiss uses the QPAC Fly-by-wire and autopilot module with numerous improvements Flight control system with hinge moment modelling giving realistic float angles for surfaces that are lost due to system faults Custom TCAS with Traffic and Resolution Advisory based on real aircraft logic Brake temperature model based on the detailled physics of heat transfer between the individual brake components Hydraulics model in which the pressure is dependent on usage. This is most notable when dropping to RAT mode or with and engine wind milling Detailled model of each ADIRU including alignment, small pressure sensor differences between the units, switching of sources for PFDs Custom air conditioning model supporting high altitude operations at airports like Cusco in Peru or La Paz in Bolivia without spurious warnings Flight warning system with ECAM actions supporting numerous system failure scenarios, e.g. engine failures, generator failures, hydraulic failures Fault injection system allowing to trigger system faults either at a specific point in flight or randomly during a flight phase Eye- and ear-candy: Detailed 3D cockpit with high quality texturing 3d exterior model with CFM and IAE engine Choice between classic wingtip fences or modern sharklets (controlled via livery names) Each aircraft comes with licensed high definition sounds from Turbine Sound Studios, the market leader for aircraft sounds in the FSX/P3D world Rain effects thanks to the librain library provided to the x-plane community by Saso Kiselkov Custom particle effects for engine heat trail, landing gear smoke on touch-down etc.  Standby compass that can be stowed, cockpit door that opens, fully modeled cabin, etc. Usability features: Situation loading and saving. It is possible to save the flight at any point in time and resume it another day. This can also be used, e.g., to save the position just before approach and practice just the approach many times Autosaving allows recovering where you left off, should the Xplane session end unexpectedly Jumping waypoint-to-waypoint through the cruise phase: Shorten your flight to focus on the more interesting parts as you like 4 different startup configuration from Cold and Dark to engines running and ready to go In-screen popup displays or use of x-plane windows for popups    NEO Highlights: 2 additional engine types for the ToLiss A321 The 3 subvariants of the A321 NEO family: the NEO, the LR and the XLR 3 new exit configurations aligned with the Airbus Cabin Flex concept for the A321 family. New engine types CFM LEAP-1A33 and PW1130G-JM Accurate aircraft climb performance as function of engine selection Appropriate fuel burn as function of engine selection System adaptation to reflect new engine functionalities, such as PW engine cooling cycles Detailled 3d model for each engine model Specific TSS sound sets for each engine type A321 NEO subvariants Configurable to A321 NEO, LR and XLR Fuel system adapted to the individual configurations Specific weight envelopes for each subvariant System specific changes per subvariant, e.g. single slotted flaps for the A321 XLR with improved aircraft drag Airbus Cabin Flex exit configurations Choice of three additional exit configurations  Maximum number of passengers changes in accordance with the selected exit configurations Doors system and DOOR page indications adapt to exit configuration Separate 3d models for each exit configuration   Requirements
X-Plane 11
Windows , Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 680 MB Version 1.3.1 (December 8th 2021)  
_________________________
 
Update Review by Stephen Dutton
9th December 2021
Copyright©2020 : 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)
 

 

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.
_____________________
 

 
The Diamond DA-42 NG by Aerobask is available from the X-Plane.OrgStore!... Here:
 
Diamond DA-42 NG Price is US$39.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not compatible with XP11)
Windows, Mac (using Rosetta) or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+ VRAM recommended Current version:  12.0r1  (January 12th 2023)   Aerobask Systems Suite Fully Integrated Laminar Garmin G1000 with custom EIS and annunciations Synthetic Vision technology by OscarPilote Touch screen features for easy handling Optional GCU476 2D keypad Customized FADEC/ECU with test procedure MD302: accurate custom coded Standby Attitude Module Simulated oxygen system Simulated ice protection system Fully functional breakers (configurable reliability) Advanced Flight Model and Flight Experience Accurate flight model by X-Aerodynamics Smooth wingflex Windshield effects: reflections, rain and frost Many parameters saved between flights Superb 3D Model Aerobask quality 3D model Fully functional virtual 3D cockpit, with smooth and VR-friendly manipulators High quality cockpit model with high resolution PBR textures (4K)   Custom Sounds Full FMOD environment by Daniela Rodriguez Careri Accurate doppler, distance attenuation and flyby effects Simulated headset In-game volume control without pausing the sim Other features and docs Complete array of custom documentation Avitab tablet, with integrated options panel Detachable and VR-friendly 2D options panel Included 6 liveries 2K textures pack for low computer  Auto-Updater Keep your aircraft up-to-date with a convenient auto-updater (Skunkcraft)   Installation and documents:  download for the Aerobask DA-42 NG is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
  The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Full Installation is 1.33Gb
 
Documents supplied are:
Avitab.pdf checklist_da42.pdf Customized G1000.pdf DA42_AFM XP12.pdf DA42_CHKL XP12.pdf DA42_PERF XP12.pdf DA42_PROC XP12.pdf Quick-Doc MD302.pdf Read Me - XP12 Aircraft Installation.pdf  
A full set of documents are provided, including detailed manuals for the MD302 and Laminar G1000. A quick setup and deeper system manual is also provided with Performance and (Checklist) Procedures.
________________   Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
15th January 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung M.2 EVO+ 2TB SSD 
Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 12.01r1
Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- PAJN - Juneau International, Alaska by NorthernSky (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$18.00
-PAHN - Haines Airport - Default Global Airports
 
Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Right Reserved.  

Aircraft Review : Cessna Citation 560XL by AirSim3d
 
Within any family there are the odd branches, certainly in the families of very successful aviation aircraft and in this case it is the Cessna Citation family. The Citation is a very large and diverse line of successful business jets, but within that long line, there is always a compromise aircraft to fit into a certain aircraft market segment.
 
The problem is with a successful family is that the next aircraft in the series has to be better, faster, bigger and have a longer range. But that also puts the aircraft out of reach to a certain lower segment of purchasers, so you have to diverse the order to create a product for that particular segment.
 
So rather than being a direct variant of another Citation airframe, the Excel series was created to be a combination of new technologies and designs.
 
To produce the Excel, Cessna took the X's wide, stand-up cabin fuselage, shortened it by about 2 feet (0.61 m) and mated it with an unswept wing utilizing a supercritical airfoil (based on the Citation V Ultra's wing) and used the tail from the Citation V. The Excel has the roomiest cabin in its class of light corporate jets and can seat up to 10 passengers (in high-density configuration; typically the number is six to eight in a corporate configuration), while being flown by a crew of two. The Excel has a 2,100 nmi-range (3,900 km), 20,200 lb (9,200 kg) MTOW, and the jet is powered by two 3,650–4,080 lbf (16.2–18.1 kN) PW545B turbofans, and the XL variant first flew in 1998.
 
If you go back a decade, there was virtually no Business Jets in the X-Plane Simulator. DDEN's Challenger 300 changed all that, and lately there has been a flurry of Private/Business Jets now of all sizes, except the really big transcontinental machines, the Aerobask Dassault Aviation's Falcon 8X is still in development, but the Gulfstream 550 was released last month.
 
For Citations there are a load of them. There is the Citation CJ4 Proline21 by Netavio, Carenado Cessna Citation ll S550 and the Citation X coming as a default aircraft in X-Plane 12. But no Excel Citations.
 
This AirSim3d Cessna Citation 560XL is currently only being released in X-Plane 11, X-Plane 12 compatibility will come after X-Plane 12 goes final.
 
AirSim3d are a new developer to the X-Plane Simulator and a very welcome one. As we will see this is a very impressive debut aircraft, but still a new debut aircraft from a first time developer. So you have to, and as I have done in the review is don't expect the absolute extreme of say Aerobask quality. But as noted for a first release it is extremely impressive and I have also been very impressed with Mark Eduljee's (developer) responses and quick fixes, which is all you need for a good developer.
 

 
This is a nicely sized Business Jet. Not too small or short, or too large to be cumbersome, I really like the look and feel of the machine.
 

 
The Citation distinctive wing has a slight dihedral, while the tailplane had a steeper dihedral. Flight control surfaces were conventional: ailerons, one-piece flaps, elevators, rudder, and trim tabs. All the flight control surfaces were manually actuated, except for electrically-driven flaps, and an electrically-driven elevator trim tab. There was also a hydraulically-operated grid speed brake on top of each wing.
 
Detail is very good, your not going to get exceptional at this level, but the modeling and the detail is quite impressive here. You see and feel the construction of the C-560XL. Panels access panels and the highlighted (Dot3 bump mapping) riveting is well done, There are a few drawn lines, but nothing to worry about, the excellent tail and rudder assembly is the highlight. All VHF and UHF antennas are present and correctly done.
 

 
The Excel has two PW500 turbofans, this version is the PW545B, which has an additional LP turbine stage to drive a larger diameter fan. So the maw engine inlet on the engine pod is quite large. There are also two large can thrust-reversers on the exhaust outlet. Overall the engine pods are very well done with the chrome inlet a very nice piece of work, note the small but detailed inlet fire sensor.
 

 
Glass is very nice and a smoky grey in colour, and has nice reflections and opacity. The original glass in the early beta's had a red tint, a reflection of the internal wood, but it didn't work in my eyes, good idea, but in theory and practise this grey is far better and realistic.
 

 
Citation wings have two stage grid airbrakes, and they look sensational here in operation.
 

 
Cord and wing detail is good, but not absolutely top notch, the fine fillers of experience will eventually create these areas better, but it's still great work if not brilliant for a first project. Chrome leading edge are very nicely done, as are the wing details, with nice wear and well done wing vortex generators.
 

 
Rear undercarriage is a trailing-link single wheel gear setup. The detail here is excellent, with a lot of complex detail and modeling, all links, arms and struts are really well done, but I am not sure of the brightly coloured hydraulic clips on the piping, there are quite bright, fine for a factory new aircraft, but for a working one? But you won't complain about the quality of detail here.
 

 
Single nose-wheel is really well done as well, simple and with a nice chrome hydraulic strut.
 

 
External Elements
There are no menus with the C-560XL. To open or operate items you use the small arrows as selectors, most have a double click action.
 
On the C-560XL there are external elements you can access and use. There are there doors lower rear left that is the Electrical panel and the Aft Baggage hold. As noted to use these arrows they can sometimes have a double operation, one to open, then one to do the operation. Here you can open the baggage hold door then secondly load or unload the internal baggage onto a waiting trolley.
 

 
One arrow on the door opens it, then another arrow on the trolley loads (well fly through the air) the bags to stack on the trolley, use the up arrow on the trolley to reload the bags. Note the baggage door does not open cleanly, as the real door is also fiddly to open and close. In the electrical bay you can disconnect or connect up the battery power.
 

 
GPU
There is a small hatch rear of the baggage compartment, that is the GPU or Ground Power Unit connector. Again you select (arrow) once to open the hatch, then again to attach the power cable which makes the GPU unit appear which is very highly and nicely detailed. There is a small lid on the side to access the power unit control panel, to start and it also has a great "Emergency STOP" button that actually works.
 
 
 
There are also wheel chocks and safety cones as static elements, engine inlet and outlet covers and "remove" pitot covers for detail. These elements are shown in steps of when the aircraft is powered down or cold with the power totally switched off. A detail I really like, but the engines covers are always on when with no engine power, but the aircraft still powered up, which is a bit odd.
 

 
Internal
Again to open or operate items you use the small arrows as selectors, like on the main door, called the "Aerostar" door. It is a bit tricky to use. You have to press the button to pop-out the handle, then use the arrows to open or lock the door, same in reverse.
 

 
The cabin is "Lux", 7 seats and all executive. In an off cream club style seating, expensive wood paneling and thick pile carpets.
 

 
The four club seats can be reclined via the lever on the arm rest...
 

 
....   and the window blinds can be raised and lowered by the lever at the base.
 

 
There is a rear washroom. You access the washroom, by opening the doors twice, once ¾ opening, then full, via the front handle and then the side knob. Bathroom is very classy, with a custom sink unit, and a toilet on the other side. Washroom blinds work as is the same in the cabin.
 

 
Forward, there is a nice buffet/small galley left and a wardrobe right.
 

 
Overall it is a very nice fitted out and usable cabin, however the glass tinting in areas would be better toned down a little.
 
Cockpit
First look and the cockpit doesn't feel as plush as the cabin. First thing to note is that this C-560XL is of the mid-90s era and the cockpit is configured and styled that way, but it feels slightly older in age and style.
 

 
I'm not sure of the seats, one word certainly comes to mind is "uncomfortable", but I think the developer is having a rethink on the design. They are thin and narrow in this tight cockpit in the C-560XL, but I don't think so square in shape. They do however move forwards and backwards with moving armrests.
 

 
Twin yokes are super lovely. They have a nice central metal casting with the "Excel" logo in the middle, and nicely worn arms. You hide them by pressing the area behind on the panel (arrowed). Electric Trim works on the yoke (arrows).
 

 
Instrument Panel
The Excel (original) uses the Honeywell Primus 1000 three-screen EFIS avionics package of two CRT Primary Flight Displays, one for each pilot, and an offset lower MultiFunction (MFD) display.
 

 
I will be extremely honest with you. When I first saw this panel layout I really wasn't that taken to it. But after using it and being in front of the panel now for quite awhile, I now think it is extremely well done. It has a different feel and look certainly, and it also gives you the feeling it is a different and an authentic aircraft than the usual Business Jet, so once adjusted I really, really like it in here.
 
The system uses a IC-615 Integrated Avionics Computer (IAC) that includes the Flight Guidance System (FGS) and the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) other systems include the AZ-950 Air Data System (ADS), Primus 880 Weather Radar, Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) and the Primus II Radio System, but the Laminar G1000 has been customised to do the GPS/Flightplan role.
 

 
PFD - Primary Flight Display. The Primus 1000 PFD is split with the Artificial Horizon top and the Horizontal Situation Indicator lower. Artificial Horizon, Speed and Altitude tapes, bank roll scale and roll pointer, Vertical Speed markers, Pitch markers, ILS bars and AOA (Angle of Attack) guide. Lower display is the COM1/COM2, ATC1, RAT ºC and UTC (Time). And there two styles of wings on  the HSI. It is a complicated layout and study is required before flight to work out every separate knob or switch function, but many functions are doubled up. All three in; PFD (left) - MFD and GNS G1000 all pop-out for use.
 

 
You can change the panel configuration from AUGM (modern AP) to REAL, or the original panel layout, which is the pilot right mid-console panel moved to the main Instrument Panel.
 

 
The Engine management uses the AMLCD or "Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Display in two units.
 


Each engine is equipped with the following instruments displayed on the center instrument panel; Fan RPM (N1), Inter-Turbine Temperature (ITT), Turbine RPM (N2), Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature and Fuel Flow. Also shown in addition to the engine instruments are; Ram Air Temperature (RAT), Fuel Temperature and Fuel Quantity.
 
MFD - Has four heading options, and Terrain Radar (Dr Gluck's Terrain Radar plugin required).
 

 
Glareshield, there is a very large annunciator panel, also known in some aircraft as the Centralized Warning Panel (CWP) or Caution Advisory Panel (CAP). It has three warning states "Red" Warning, "Yellow" Caution and "White" Advisory/Indication. Thrust reverser states and over-ride are positioned on each end.
 

 
Testing the CWP can be done via the switched at the rear of the Throttle pedestal, in fact all system lighting and signs can be checked from this system. It is a very comprehensive CWP.
 

 
Large centre shelf console covers; Anti-Ice, Pressurization, and External lights switchgear, bottom right is a large "Temperature Panel" for the Cockpit and Cabin.
 

 
Throttle Pedestal is excellent. There are twin-throttles wit built-in reverser levers, and lower fuel cut-off levers for each engine. Pitich Trim wheel left and Flap lever right (0º-7º-15º-35º). Engine Sync selector works. Lower panel has the System Test selector, Landing Lights and Pulse Light (Beacon)
 

 
Side cockpit panels have the circuit breakers (fuses), but they don't work? Map Lights and on the Pilot's side, an AUX PANEL LIGHT. On the right panel is the same (no AUX light), but added is the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) panel which is very well done.
 

 
Lower pedestal is a selection panel for each pilot selections, mostly the same as on the panel itself, but more finger handy. Notable is the PITCH Trim (Electric) and TURN (This is an important knob which we will cover later). Then at the rear the large Rudder Trim knob.
 

 
Flying the C560XL
Engine startup is very authentic. The onboard APU provides power and bleed, start then wait until it is running at at 100%. It will tell you it's status. Fuel Cutoff's are under the throttles, but they can be tricky to switch with the small up/down arrows. Main start panel is over far left instrument panel, with the required "Fuel Boost" pumps ON, Ignition (always on) and engine starter buttons centre.
 

 
Like most Citations there is "Full Authority Digital Engine Controller" or FADEC to start the PW500 turbofans. Startup sounds are excellent with a nice whine, and the engine sounds in the cockpit settle down to an excellent background hum.
 
One thing I really liked is that you can set an N1 Thrust limit target on the AMLCD, by using the knob at the end of the panel.
 

 
I use the word a lot, but it's important here, "Feel". This is an aircraft you have to feel and become one with. First it is a good idea to cover the systems and layouts before flying. As a lot of the switchgear actions are doubled up, so using the sets you are most comfortable with is important, and I found I liked adjustment panel directly left of the HSI the best. There are areas that you feel (that word again), still need a little fine tuning, certainly in the areas of power and braking, they are good now, but over time will become more or less urgent to make the machine even more supple and realistic. Keep the speed low to taxi, the 560XL has a very nice wide wheel spread, so she rides very nice and steady on the ground.
 

 
Centred ready to fly, and you have to set the T/O Trim (wheel), but more importantly set the "TURN" trim on the rear console, if not centred the AP (Autopilot) will not activate in flight.
 

 
You have to be super careful with the throttles, the PW545B creates a power of 4100 pounds of thrust at takeoff. So the Excel will literally takeoff from rest (hence the N1 Thrust target) and the careful power inputs required (weight dependent here at 8100 kg). Flap here is set at 5º for takeoff.
 

 
I was shocked at the serious power for the first few times until I reined myself in and controlled it better. Rotate is around 200 knts, then once off the ground you can climb almost straight up, this Citation JUST GOES, up and up. It will (officially climb at 3,500 ft/min (17.78 m/s) and practically right off the rate of climb chart.
 

 
When in the air you just really like this jet, yes again there are a few rough edges, but the core is excellent, great performance, great handling, great feel. And you very quickly tune into the machine. And a very nice looking machine in the air this is.
 

 
Performance of the Excel is an empty weight of 12,800 lb (5,806 kg) and a Max takeoff weight of 20,200 lb (9,163 kg). Cruise speed is 441 kn (507 mph, 816 km/h) true airspeed, at 45,000 ft (13,716 m), with a range of  1,858 nmi (2,138 mi, 3,441 km).
 
Lighting
Lighting is excellent, but could still be noted as a work in progress. Externally you have two landing lights under the belly of the XL, taxi lights in the wings and navigation lights in the wingtips and tail. There is tail lighting and a red beacon top... A note on the landing lights is that you can make them "Pulse" from one to the other...
 

 
At a certain setting, the cockpit feels very military or even fighter jet in feel, and yes I really love it. There is adjustment for panel dropdown lighting, left, right and centre lighting,
 


 
You can get an almost all black instrument panel, but with a background feel... an oddity is the panel light switch (lower bottom left panel) is the opposite way around in highlighting the instruments, OFF for on, and ON for off?
 
 
 

 
....   there are side panel lighting, and also two overhead spotlights that can be positioned (animated).
 

 
The same animated spotlights are also above every seat in the rear cabin, again a very nice place to be at night, with some lovely subtle lights. But overall you still feel it all needs a bit of fine tuning, like the EXIT lights are too bright, and spots not showing their sources enough.
 

 
But overall the Citation is a very nice place to be in the dark.
 
Currently you still have the the Laminar default G1000 unit in the aircraft, but it is customised to a point, and it works and even looks good (yes it pops out). The dreaded red line is still used on the MFD, but I expect that to be upgraded in X-Plane12, as these areas have all been redone with better scale, notes say that a custom Flight Management System will come later with the aircraft, but not in this version.
 
Notable is the excellent (easy to use) AP (Autopilot system), you can adjust from the panel or from the lower rear console and it feels very authentic to use.
 

 
You don't get a full clear or blank Centralized Warning Panel, mostly Yellow caution lights are always flashing away, and that aspect can be a bit distracting in flight, but again it is very good.
 
The style and feel of the instrument panel is highly debatable. I will be honest, I particularly didn't like it at first as noted earlier? But having flown the Excel a lot over the past month, I now really love it, even miss it a lot when flying other aircraft as it is quite authentic to the real 560XL design.
 


 
You also have the choice of "Wings" in the HSI, bent or straight, personally I found the straight version easier to see and use, and selection is via the HSI side panel.
 
Sounds overall are very good, push the throttles and there is a nice roar from the PW545B engines which I really like, they are from samples of recordings from the real Citation jet at Boeing Field. Internally all Warnings, Call outs, Clicks, Beeps, airflow, in/out, sound modulation are all included, and this is a very clickable (noisy) cockpit if you like noisy switchgear. APU sounds externally and internally are all very realistic.
 
In the air internally the 560XL is a quiet aircraft, those engines are way back from your ears, but there is still a lot of the required feedback with any engine throttle adjustments, so sounds are a highlight of the aircraft.
 


 
The aircraft is slippery, so you need those airbrakes to control your descent, they look great operational from the cabin windows as well.
 

 
That straight clean Citation wing with the wide track wheels is a very stable platform when configured for landing. You feel totally under control and have a very nice balance on the final approach, as long as you have prepared the trims correctly for the landing phase.
 
Approach speeds are quite low (Full 35º Flap) at around 130 knts, but thankfully very stable at that speed.
 

 
Slowly you reduce your speed to around 120 knts to reduce your height...
 


 
With a touchdown (nice slight nose up flare) of about 105 knts, which is pretty slow for a jet, notable to be very level on landing, if not the wide track will bounce you from the the left or right wheel...   I do recommend (pedal) toe-brakes with this 560XL, keeping the aircraft straight is tricky without them, yes it can be done, but the dancing footwork is far easier for ultimate control, then for the final braking.
 

 
Opening and closing the clam reversers is a double action, press once to arm, then again to activate, the stopping reverse thrust is effective, even impressive.
 

 
Liveries
There are nine liveries, N456AX (is default) and the rest have very decorative names, in order; Brazilian Carnival, Indian Summer, Italian Classic, NZ Fern, Spanish Treasure, Swiss Snowstorm, UK Red Ribbon and US "Singing the Blues". Paintkit is also available.
 

____________________
 
 
Summary
The Cessna Citation 560XL (Excel) is an off-shoot from the main Cessna Citation family to fit a certain niche in the market. It uses several combination of new technologies and designs and the sections of other Citations, but the Excel creates a more bigger cabin, bigger engines, but it is a smaller aircraft overall with a lower range to create a lower market price or entry level aircraft to the family.
 
AirSim3d are a new developer to the X-Plane Simulator and a very welcome one. As we have see this is a very impressive debut aircraft, but still a new debut aircraft from a first time developer. So you have to, and as I have done in the review is to don't expect the absolute extreme of say ultra Aerobask quality. But as noted it is still very impressive. The Excel 560 is being only released currently for X-Plane 11, the X-Plane 12 version is currently in development and will follow when X-Plane 12 goes final.
 
The word to say here is "Quirky". Not quirky in a odd or even a bad way, but different quirky if you have flown or have known other Citation aircraft. The C560XL is different, feels different and you use it differently.
 
So the first impressions here are quite construing to your senses as it feels and looks to a different era. But use the Excel and fly it, then you begin to really enjoy it, savour it and in the end you will find it a very nice aircraft to use frequently, in fact you will want to fly it consistently as it is deep down a very good aircraft.
 
Modeling is very good, as is the detail, but that word quirky will come up with the way you interact with the aircraft (arrow/pointers) and no menus. But you will soon click into the way the system works. That ultra shine is not however there, but everything else is including a nicely fitted out cabin with seat and window animation and nice lighting. Other features include Cones, Chocks, engine covers, Pitot covers, working GPU, battery hatch and a Baggage compartment that can load or unload bags at a click of an arrow.
 
Business Jets have become a very popular of the last few years. Mostly because they perfectly fit that segment between General aviation flying and the larger Commerical jet aircraft. They are a pleasure machine with great performance and speed, so this AirSim3d fits that context perfectly. Also in the same context is the design and feel of the original Excel style aircraft. Once bitten you will love it, the 560XL certainly grows on more with every flight. It's not totally absolutely perfect, but for a first incarnation of an orginal design it is very good....     Recommended.
____________________
 

 
Yes! the Cessna Citation 560XL by AirSim3d is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Cessna Citation 560XL
Price is US$59.95
 
Features: AirSim3D C-560 XL: Real-Jet authenticity
Real jet visits at Boeing airfield were extensively used to inform build and design decisions 100’s of pages of real POH manuals, specs, drawings, pics used Real pilot tested and extensively beta tested Result: real-world systems, lighting, functions, modeling and procedures authenticity  Rich FMOD sounds
Sample recordings from the real jet at Boeing Field Result: Custom Engine, APU, GPU, Warnings, Call outs, Clicks, Beeps, airflow, in/out, sound modulation...all included Example: AP disconnect – that's the actual sound real pilots hear! But not overdone: The real jet is quiet at cruise;  AirSim3D’s C-560XL follows that model  Summary:
Win, Mac, Linux tested VR ready PBR materials and Occlusion shading everywhere Hi-fidelity cockpit and instrument objects Bump-texturing and grunge elevated to an art form Finely detailed 3D objects that match real world dimensions Sharp, authentic labeling and correctly placed across the whole aircraft Animations and their timing match the real jet to 99% 99% of instrument follows real-jet/POH/specs and requirements Over 90 total system warnings failures, and lights Exclusive THXp Lighting: 300+ tuned and directed lights make night flying spectacular! Exclusive Real and Augmented AP/AT instrument layout on demand FPS is comparable to similar popular jets and LR default aircraft Airfoil and Weight/CG modeling AirSim3D’s Specialty Glass; Reflections are subtle and don’t distract Real-jet conforming flight characteristics, Engine performance Exact Main Door operation (in or out) with custom step lighting Superior Gear, Flight surfaces, Engine blur modeling, animation, and texturing All Lights use light beams (not flat LIT 2D textures from paint programs) In/Out Emergency Lighting with custom over-wing “shark lights” Fully functional Lighting, Electrical, Start, Pressure, Radio, AP panels Functioning APU & GPU; start-up/refuel/charging procedures and sounds Authentic cold and dark startup/shut down Controls lock and Emergency brakes, Gear blow down functions Fully animated Cockpit, Cabin, Lav; Wizard-inspired baggage load/unload Grunge wear and tear everywhere -- elevated to an art form External attachments (chocks, cones, covers etc.) 8 custom, country-specific marked liveries + paint kit Pilot Operations Handbook online – always up to date Instrument Summary
Authentic, fully functioning Annunciator panel
* 90 + custom and lighted faults
* 42 annunciators track L and R faults/sys status independently
* Complete MC/MW integration Custom Auto Pilot fully integrated with the custom PFD, MFD, and G1000
* 9 functions: YD, HDG, NAV, APR, BC, VNAV, ALT, VS, FLC
* On demand Realistic and Augmented AP panel layout modes
* VVI, Bank angle, Low limiter
* Custom Auto Throttle in Augmented panel mode
* FMOD callouts Custom Collins-inspired PFD (pop up)
* Custom AP status annunciator integration
* Mach, ASI, VVI, HDG, CRS, WIND, TAS, GSPD, FPV, BARO. IMO markers
* Authentic SPEED, ALT tapes (to -1500 AGL – now fly to the Dead sea airports with AP!)
* Custom APR/DPT ASI flags
* PFD 1, 2 source
* Cat II ILS tested HSI
* Custom art Artificial Horizon
* Wind direction/speed
* Ground speed
* Kts/Mach selector
* VOR 1, 2, GPS, ADF tracking
* Speed and VVI prediction
* 2 “wings” displays
* 2 Flight Director modes
* Custom artwork for real 3D look and feel
* Custom AP and Speed tapes function to -1500 AGL
* Automatic reference speeds displays for Gear, Flaps, Speed Custom MFD (pop up)
* Weather and Terrain radar
* Range selector (1-360 miles)
* Standard HSI: Rose/Arc with ARPT, WPT, VOR, NDB, TCAS
  6 MFD sub modes
      * APP, VOR, MAP, NAV, PLN
* TCAS Alert call outs integrated with Pulse Landing lights
* 14 Authentic all-flight phase checklists
       * 23 checklist sub modes Authentic Electrical system
* Outside Battery disconnect (animated, functioning, lighted outside Panel)
* Normal and Emergency battery instrument profiles
* Amp/Volt gauges, source select, battery charge/discharge profiles
* Gens/APU/GPU charging integration
* Battery Over Temp
* Interior and Master Battery disconnect with full systems/lights/avionics integration
* Authentic Cockpit, Entry, and Cabin lighting Authentic and fully functional Lights panel
* Day/night Switch
* Dim-able EL lighting
* Dim-able Flood, Map, Panel lighting
* Independent L, C, R instrument stack dimming
* Over 300 individually placed and tuned (real) lights (not images) Radios / DME / Clocks
* 2 Custom Primus II RMU: Active + Stby: NAV 1, 2; COM 1, 2; ADF;  XPNDR (with Mode C)
* 2 Custom DME: Station ID, Distance-To, Time-To, Closure Speed, Mi/KM
* 2 Custom Pilot/CP Clocks: (GMT, Local, reset Stopwatch, Auto-Flight Time recorder)   Requirements
X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Current Version: 1.0 (November 18th 2022)  
Installation and documents:  download for the Cessna Citation 560XL is 355 Mb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
 
Full Installation is 732 Mb (Includes noted liveries)
 
Documents supplied are:
On-Line details only currently available; Summary - AirSim3d
 
Designed by AirSim3D
Support forum for the C-560 XL
_____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
18th November 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 - X-Plane 11.55
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : AviTab Plugin - Free
Scenery or Aircraft
- LOWS- Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart v2 by Digital Design (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$19.50
- LFMN - Nice Cote d'Azur v2 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$18.50
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Aircraft Upgrade Review : Concorde FXP v3 by Colimata
 
Significantly I finally did get around into creating a review of Colimata's impressive Concorde FXP in it's v2 guise last year in July 2020. You should really read that comprehensive review before reading this upgrade version, into getting an overall background and for the details of the aircraft and Colimata's features.
 
That review was done in obviously X-Plane 11, as X-Plane 12 was still a few more months away. But even then, even in not yet knowing what the effects of X-Plane 12 would have on the aircraft, I seriously felt at the time, that if any aircraft would shine in the new version of the X-Plane Simulator it would be this aircraft, why I don't know...  it was just a feeling.
 
So here is Concorde FXP in X-Plane 12. It is noted as v3, a new version for the X-Plane 12 version. So that means it is an UPGRADE, and a paid upgrade. The pain however to get this X-Plane 12 version is negligible, two cups of coffee or US$11. That cost covers all future X-Plane 12 updates and features. Considering X-Plane 12 is new out of the box and has now years to run, its a great deal, the new purchase price in X-Plane 12 is still the same at US$59.95 (but sales and deals are frequent, currently US$54.95)
 
It is a hard colour (white on white) to look good anywhere, but "hey", the iconic SST looks simply damn impressive in X-Plane 12.
 

 

 
All the textures have been upgraded to X-Plane 12 quality, and even more detail has been added on to the fuselage, and the wings are not blank anymore as you get access panels and wing panels detailing...
 

 
...  that is the good news, the bad news is all your liveries don't work anymore as they have been upgraded to v3 or "fuselage_v200". There is a trick if your desperate in wanting them now and in not waiting for the painters in fixing them up... create the new folder (fuselage_v200) and move the old paint files over, you don't get the new details, but it works. 
 

 
Internally it is "oh WOW"...  To a point this was what I was expecting the X-Plane 12 version to be like, even then it "Blows your mind"...
 
...  the light earlier greyness has been replaced by a dark shadow hue, realistic, yes you bet, how realistic? Brilliantly.
 
 
 
The cockpit is absolutely impressive in the daylight, but let the light go darker and it becomes a "Wonderland"...
 


 
It does look very, very good, if you control the lighting. Too much, is too much brightness. Again I don't feel that a 70's aircraft would use this tone of light in here, that said it is very nice...  So with so much adjustment (12 knobs) it can keep you happy for hours playing with it all, from full cockpit brightness to the low dim approach lighting. There is a noted 1000+ lights in here, and I don't doubt that number.
 

 
Cabin is also still too bright, but it looks far, far better in the quality detail of X-Plane 12. The cabin and seats look far more realistic, if now great, just a shame you can't adjust the cabin lighting a touch lower.
 

 
I didn't like the external lighting on the XP11 Concorde, it 's just as bright here as well, in being well over saturated (Navigation and tail lighting is however okay). In the daylight it is quite nice, but overall I think some adjustment would really help with the realistic/realism effect.
 

 
A lot of people (including me) didn't like the set, large GUI (Menu). It covered a lot of the screen and hid the very things you were trying to adjust? The Menu GUI has been revised in v3 for X-Plane 12, with now being scalable in size. Also the GUI can now also be used in a (Separate) window, even on another computer... handy.
 

 
Other GUI changes include; A redo of the Flight Planning page, and the shown selected flightplan. There is also the addition of MIN, HALF and MAX (Fuel) selections, This way it is possible to quickly set up the airplane for short, medium and long range trips, even without the use of the Fuel Manager.
 

 
Fuel Management page has been overhauled for easier use? sort of, as Concorde is very hard to balance correctly.
 

 
Flying the XP12 Concorde
Same aircraft, same route...   but 6 months on and it feels totally different. I'm again going to New York (JFK) from Heathrow  (LHR), this time however in X-Plane 12, and in a Final not a Beta X-Plane (well Beta v1.01b).
 

 
Heathrow, London is not the prettiest place to be on a cold January morning, but it feels very authentic. If you look at the same images from six months ago, it feels years ago, not months in the differences...  gigantic.
 
Pushback (BetterPushBack), and it feels all very photographic...  I'm not going to bore you with details here, all was covered in the comprehensive earlier review...  this is an update review in focusing on what is new. What is the most striking though is that X-Plane 12 lighting and quality, it is quite sensational.
 

 
A very busy Heathrow...
 

 
And the Classic view...  powered and ready for takeoff.
 

 
All though you have all the X-Plane features, including the rain effects (at Mach 2?) anyway they work well at the lower speeds.
 
The biggest factor is the changes to the basic X-Plane aerodynamics, or primarily to the delta wing dynamics that the X-Plane/Laminar Research head guru Austin Meyer has done. This aspect is very significant... in Austin speak,
 
"Here is what is so amazing about this: For traditional wings like X-Plane has always simulated, air never comes up over the leading edge!Instead, at the stalling angle of attack, the air separates from the top, loses suction, and the wing stalls! And all of this is carefully orchestrated based on the AIRFOIL, or CROSS-SECTION SHAPE, of the wing!So X-Plane has always used the airfoil cross-section, corrected for the plan-form, or top-down shape of the wing, as classical wing theory calls for.
But now, with a delta wing, the cross-section of the wing hardly matters! Now what matters is the plan-form, or top-down shape, of the wing! That’s what lets the air roll up over that highly-swept leading edge to form the huge hurricane over the wing that SUUUUUUUCKS the wing up… and never stalls!
And X-Plane now used this classical wing theory based on the AIRFOIL CROSS SECTION for non-delta wings, vortex-generation based on the PLAN-FORM of the wing for delta wings, and even interpolate smoothly between them for partially-delta shapes, consider both the airfoil cross-section, and the delta plan-form, for a real three-dimensional understanding of the wing."
 
In other words, the Delta wing dynamics in X-Plane 12 are completely different, and Colimata has adjusted the X-Plane 12 v3 Concorde to the new dynamics, so any X-Plane 11 or earlier Concorde aircraft won't work with as well, or as realistically as the X-Plane 12 versions does.
 
Don't take them (the dynamics) as for currently granted...  there will be changes, not only from X-Plane 12, but from Colimata as well, there will be more fine tuning to get the aircraft to the same stable situation as it was in X-Plane 11.
 
First there is the glow from the engines as you push up the throttles to the T/O position, then the full afterburner as it kicks in...  you move slowly at first, but then the punch pushes you towards v1, then v2 (+10)
 

 
Then you rotate the aircraft, and power yourself into the air. Concorde can use a higher 20º pitch on climb-out.
 

 
Because of the amount of precipitation around Heathrow in winter January, the delta wings throw off a lot of condensation effects, very realistic to real images of Concorde in the same takeoff phase as well.
 

 
Sub-sonic and Concorde looks exceptional. I am not going to suger-coat it, as the Concorde is a difficult aircraft to fly, yes even challenging. You will have to practise, study and learn the machine.
 
Flight profiles, checklists and even extensive personal notes are required, Colimata however does give you a lot of short-cuts, like fuel balance and set-ups. And the rewards are immense of course, but don't expect to rock up and just fly Concorde, mostly you will always end up in a field with a broken aircraft. But you will need to seriously commit to the aircraft to get the very best simulation out of it...  It is a commitment aircraft.
 

 
There is a lot of feedback of the status of the aircraft, including; STATUS, FUEL, ENGINES and CENTER of GRAVITY (CoG), check the systems before you climb Supersonic. Time to raise the visor!
 

 
Going up to that rarified air of where only a few can go...  58,000ft and Mach 2.02!
 

 
But you can now go there with X-Plane 12...  It looks and feels magnificent.
 

 
Sounds are really good, but not different to the earlier v2, the roar (on takeoff) is sensational, but the Supersonic hum is very real as well, overall there are loads and loads of sound effects, all in different sound spaces. But the biggest feature is the excellent audio advice from Copilot, Engineer, and Pilot, all in a sprightly English accent, it is all very cool, but not intrusive. Highly recommended is the RK Apps XPRealistic v2 plugin for realistic movement effects with this aircraft... it makes going though the Sound Barrier a whole new experience.
 

 
But I will note that currently the X-Plane 12 weather model is not quite perfected yet? Heavy winds do affect the aircraft and quite substantially...  climbing up to FL580, and getting a forward speed into the MACH are both difficult with a 150+ knt headwind. So you may have to take manual control to achieve both aspects. Even then I felt effects on the aircraft in the manual settings, that the characteristics I didn't have in the earlier X-Plane 11 flights are obviously here in X-Plane 12. Even in level flight you are tossing and turning like in a dingy...   Hopefully this aspect will be fixed soon. 
 

 
At DOVEY it is time to descend, 3,000fpm, at 350 kts (AT1 off), and you are already losing speed and height...  soon you are back in the Sub-Sonic realm, but at 30,000ft and 350 knts, even here Concorde is still very fast.
 

 
PARCH 3 KJFK Arrival, and you now descend to 10,000ft. and down comes the visor, just a normal Sub-Sonic aircraft...  not.
 

 
I have practised this JFK...  Runway 4L approach about twenty times in Colimata's Concorde, its still tricky and it certainly tests your skills...
 

 
...  first into the circuit, then 230 knts, 90º downward, drop gear and visor to 12.5º, another 90º to final approach...
 

 
Align to RWY 04L, then VOR-LOC, then when in the cone GLIDE, speed to 200 kts... (Note AUTOLAND is still not active...  damn), once in the beams then you lower the speed to 180 knts, fast, maybe too fast, the aim is for 160 knts! (stall is 125 knts)...  a trick is AT1 disconnect at 1000ft, then take manual thrust control down to the runway.
 

 
...  note the X-Plane 12 rain (old Librain) works well on the main front and side windows, nice to have it back...  over the threshold (okay a bit high!), and let Concorde sink nicely...
 

 
...   and it's gear down! The approach phase procedures do stay the same, but you do feel the different X-Plane 12 delta wing dynamics at work, it will take a few practise landings to get the landing feel correct as there is more resistance now, certainly I will do this again a few times to get it right (nail it!).
 

 
I'm not going to hide the fact you need to practice with Concorde, do it, do it again until it comes to you, it's a tricky aircraft to skill up to....  but the rewards are quite sensational when you get it all right.
 

 
So flying the Concorde in X-Plane 12 does require an adjustment in your thinking, and to have your skills to adapt to the aircraft. And again I will stress again and I also feel there is still a more fine tuning to come from both X-Plane 12 and from Colimata to get both to a more refined position.
_________________
Summary
Here is the upgrade to X-Plane 12 and giving Colimata's Concorde a v3 moniker. A paid upgrade, but only US$11, so certainly not a deal breaker for what you get in the v3 package.
 
One of the biggest simulations you can achieve in X-Plane is going Supersonic, twice the speed of sound, and that is what this aircraft is all about, flying outside of the usual Sub-Sonic parameters. So yes the Concode is a challenging Simulator, probably only for the skilled and Pro's out there, but if you still want to fly the Concorde then so you will have to study it and practise it's dark arts, obviously the rewards are very high. Make no mistake though, the Concorde is an investment in time, and with this v3 upgrade you get a lot of time to enjoy all the updates and the newer features of the newly born X-Plane 12, so your getting in early.
 
The v3 Upgrade is excellent, look at the images and see how extraordinary the aircraft looks and feels in X-Plane 12, externally beautiful, inside in that complex cockpit, incredible, it just "Blows your mind".
 
The textures have been redone, and even more detail added in while doing so. Liveries now don't work, but a folder change can bring them back again, but you still loose the newer wing detail. The lighting is glorious with a 1000+ lights in the cockpit, but the external lighting is still far to unrefined for me, ditto the cabin lighting, too bright with no adjustment...  but the cabin however does look far better.
 
Extensive Menu has had attention, in that now you can scale the menu and use it in a (separate) window, Flight Planning pages have been given three (quick fuel) options, redone Flight Planning page gives you better route options and saves, Fuel Management page has also been overhauled for easier use.
 
The aircraft's aerodynamics, or primarily to the delta wing dynamics have been upgraded to match the newer dynamics in X-Plane 12, it gives the aircraft a different feel and handling characteristics that you need to dial into, as I noted though-out the review with X-Plane 12 and Concorde, they are both not completely refined yet, separated or together, and in areas it shows here.
 
I don't have a lot of negatives here, but the lighting would be better in being more refined, internal cabin and external landing and taxi lights... but if for wanting one new feature...  it would be a "Save" feature a'la ToLiSS, it is pretty draining, even frustrating in resetting everything from scratch, each time to fly or for training, practise. there are 12 knobs alone for the lighting, then ages to set the aircraft up ready for flight, do that 10 or 12 times a day, and it gets very frustrating and even boring...  Situation and Replays freeze (badly) as well, only the flown Replay works, but you don't get all of the instruments back...  small things but very important if you want to get the best experience out of the simulation.
 
X-Plane 12 promises amazing Simulation, Concorde is also an amazing aircraft alone...  together they are incredible, and to a point a pointer to the future of X-Plane 12 Simulation, all together they are an experience you won't forget.
_________________
 

 
Yes! the Concorde FXP version 3 X-Plane 12 by Colimata is AVAILABLE from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Concorde FXP version 3 X-Plane 12
Price is US$54.95 (Currently on sale from US$49.95 or 5% OFF)
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12  (not XP11 compatible)
Windows, Mac and Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 600 MB Current version:  (January 4th 2023) (If you own Concorde v1 or v2, this version will automatically discounted, no coupons required)   Designed by Colimata Support forum for the Concorde FXP Additional Liveries for the Concorde   ___________________________
 
Upgrade Review by Stephen Dutton
9th 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) All Right Reserved    Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1TB SSD 
Software:   - Windows 11 - X-Plane v12.01b  (note this review was done in the beta revision period)
Addons: Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick, Throttle & Rudder Pedals : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- EGLL - Airport London-Heathrow by TaiModels (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$28.00
- KJFK - New York Airports XP v2 Volume 1 by Drzewiecki (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$24.00