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  1. Aircraft Review : Cessna Citation Mustang by RWDesigns It is a banner year for Business Jets in X-Plane this year 2019, and from a position of just a few a year or so ago, we now have already a nice choice of aircraft to choose from, with an extremely long list yet to come including the Aerobask Dassault Aviation's Falcon 8X as a leading contender and Carenado's Dassault Falcon 50 also coming to the party. Of the two original private jets it was DDEN's Challenger 300, and one from RWDesign in the form of the Hawker 4000 released in 2016. I actually liked the Hawker 4000, but updates have been slow in keeping the aircraft current (last was in 2017) Obviously the direct review competition to this Citation Mustang is Carenado's Citation S550 Citation ll, but in reality you can't compare them on any level at all, the S550 is a different aircraft size category altogether and price wise it is very different as well, the only area they share is the distinctive Citation's straight wing shape. Cessna Citation 510 Mustang by RWDesigns First impressions are very good and certainly up to the current X-Plane11 high standard, but this aircraft is not in the so called "Ultra" detailed class of deep feel textures and highly almost perfected created fittings, details and many curves have slight points, but it is very good for it's class. Highlights are the nice engine pods that hold the two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F turbofans, 1460 lb thrust (6.49 kN) each, they are well shaped and detailed, the chrome engine inlets are really nice and reflective... ... the other end with the engine exhausts are however a different story, as you can look right up the empty tailpipe as there is nothing in either internal engine pod? so no internal smaller turbofan exhaust components or any part of the engine is visible. Another visual aspect is there are also a few marching ants areas (worse area is lower rear fuselage), certainly not enough to spoil the simulation, but they do show from certain angles. Design of these early 2000 private jets are very clean, but it was still the era just before the total composite design came through, so panels and rivets with the construction basis of aluminum alloy were the main build methods but the detail is very good here. Tail is very well done, and looks authentic to the aircraft. Undercarriage design is also very good, with a single strut forward and trailing-link main, detail is high, even down to the authentic gear stickers... ... animation is very good as well with all components reacting and moving to the movement changes. Glass is also very good, with great reflections and curves to the fuselage, window surrounds are not as highly detailed, but fine in context. The Citation wing is ram-rod straight and quite narrow... it is a high-lift airfoil wing design, which enables low stall speeds and has low drag and pitching moments required for a high-speed cruise. The leading edges of its wings are swept at only 11 degrees. Pneumatic de-ice boots protect the leading edge. You can open the main cabin door by touch externally, and you get a set of metal drop down steps that fold neatly into the main cabin floor, the detail on the steps though are quite basic. Cabin Interior The cabin interior is very modern, even by the last decade's standards, this is the "High Serra" version of the Citation Mustang, that came with the higher quality cabin furnishings and enhanced avionics. The evidence is in here with the dark leather seating in contrast with the lighter corporate greys... ... it is all very swish and business like and it is a very nice fitted out cabin. Seating has really nice and well done folds and creases a la Aerobask to create a realistic feel to the leather but you have to look close, overhead switchable lighting and air vents are also really well done. There are animated flip out work tables are each side of the four seat club layout, non of the usual wood is used on the tables, as it is replaced by shiny polished more formica laminated material that is more in keeping of this cabin's design, overall this is a very nice modern cabin. Looking forward to the cockpit and you have a nice compartment separator, but no doors. The same minimalistic even scandi look continues into the cockpit as well, as it is all very orderly and tidy. Instrument panel is dominated by the three display Garmin G1000 avionics system, it is in here a slightly adjusted custom version of the Laminar Research G1000 default package. Down low sitting left of the centre console is a 3D manual/menu (arrowed above) Menu Main menu page covers options top and more page pop-up options lower. Top six options cover: Weather effects, Screen Vignetting, 3D Passengers, Toggle Yokes, Flashlight (X-Plane red) and GPU (Ground Power Unit). Most of these we will cover during the rest of the review. Pop-Up panels include: Exterior Doors, Weight/Balance Manager and Checklists. Exterior doors include the Main left side door, Left and Right front Baggage compartment doors, Rear left Baggage door and a Emergency Exit right centre cabin window. There are no static elements like chocks, flags or engine covers like there was on the Hawker 4000, and the noted GPU is a "Jetgo" 28V is situated under the right engine pod. The Emergency Exit panel has great animation as it is manoeuvred inside and plonked on the right cabin, seat, reattachment of the Exit window is also animated and great to watch, but in a fire it would be a little slow in removing the panel to get out. Weight/Balance Manager covers fuel, payload and passengers. It is quite simplistic, but works fine in context. Fuel is added to the wings, baggage in Payload is added into the front and rear baggage compartments and there are five adult passengers you can select with their set weights. There are no actual bags in the cavernous front or rear compartment, but the passengers are very well done and look very, very realistic. The pilot is weighted but not selectable. Full total weight and MAC% (Centre of Gravity) is shown. Checklist is shown like a spiral binder, easy to use and navigate, it can be moved around the screen, but not scaled, so it is quite big in use. Instrument Panel G1000 avionics are the fit-out here, but it is highly customised to suit the Mustang. Note the lovely "Mustang" startup MFD screen. Nicely created detailed yokes with "Mustang" logos can be hidden (per the menu) but only together and not individually. Three panel arrangement is unusual in that the centre MFD (Multi-Functional Display) is fixed? and only the two outer PFD (Primary Flight Displays) can pop-out. The MFD has no surrounding buttons or knobs on the bezels, so you adjust the display via the panel lower centre console (arrowed), to use in focus, when you click the display the MFD fills the whole screen with the adjustment panel situated now to the left. G1000 radio button placement changes as well with the pop-out. Usually the radio panel is located either between the PFD and MFD, or on a PFD or MFD bezel, here they are set completely left and right of each PFD, but on the pop-outs they revert back to their usual positions on the left bezel. confused? The idea is too make a cleaner panel layout to fit the Mustang's fitout, but the Laminar pop-out reverts back to the normal. PFD (Primary Flight Display) is standard Laminar 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 pointers. All Radio and Autopilot (AP) readouts and data are across the top of the panel. Both PFD's have the built in MAP function that I rarely use (takes up too much of the artificial horizon). Slightly weird is that you can't load a flightplan from the FPL on the PFD?... ..... to load in a stored plan can only be done from the MFD and its own selection panel and the now available flightplan selection box, so any flightplans have to be loaded and adjusted via only the centre display. MFD has the twin engine readouts left panel that cover N1% and ITTºC (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Oil Temp and Pressure, N2%, DC VOLTS/AMPs and Battery, Fuel quantity is for both tanks in lbs and lower Fuel Flow (Pounds Per Hour), Cabin Pressure and altitude elevation, Trim Aileron/Rudder and bottom is the Flap position in UP - TO/APR - LAND MFD has full MAP and NAV functions as per normal Laminar G1000 features Top Instrument panel has the Autopilot panel, which is a very clean and simple modern interface, below are the three backup instruments to cover Speed (Knts), Artificial Horizon and Attitude Indicator.... a nice feature is the working aural test switch (arrowed) for various systems, and here we are testing the Fire Warnings. Left lower panel is all the switchgear that covers (Main) DC Power and left and right Generators, Avionics, Fuel, Engine Start (buttons), Engine Ignition, Fuel Transfer, and six green switches that cover the Ice-Protection, Landing gear selection is right. Centre lower panel is the external and internal lighting switches and knobs. Right lower panel covers Environmental, ELT and Hobbs hour meter. Lower console is again a very modern compact design. There are just two levers for throttles, and Flap selector, there are no thrust reverse levers... the Fuel cut-off levers are situated under the throttle handles like on the S550... ... they don't nicely click or clack like on the Carenado Citation, and you also have to get under the throttle handles to use them. The pitch trim wheel is left and very nicely modeled, lower console is the MFD panel. On the side of the throttle handle is the speedbrake switch, which notes the extension on the MFD (arrowed) but to note if you have your speedbrake selected like I do on my Saitek throttles, it doesn't work with the X-Plane key selection? front panel is the Rudder and Aileron Trim, switches and knob... and the lower Emergency Gear release does not work. Left and right sidewall panels have circuit breaker panels that don't work. Internal Lighting The cabin's lighting is absolutely terrific... ... six roof spot lights are all clickable to illuminate the cabin in either each person and over the tables, switch off the personal spots and it is a great work place for long flights... front cockpit is illuminated by a lovely set of adjustable soft feel roof lighting with a full dome forward and two map lights either side. Under glareshield lighting is again really well done, and lights up the three backup instruments. Adjustments cover the text and display brightness. Rain Effects The Citation Mustang comes with the Librain effects which work very well (download and install the LIbrain plugin into the Mustang's plugin folder if it is missing). You can turn them off if you wish via the menu option. STMA AutoUpdate The Citation comes with the STMA AutoUpdater which I totally loath! as any mouse movements over the left part of your screen will activate it, hate it, totally hate it... but it works in keeping the Mustang up to date.. Flying the Mustang As startups go the Mustang is extremely easy. Make sure the Fuel cut-offs are up and the throttles are set at idle, beacon and nav lights on, L & R ignition on, fuel pumps to normal and hit the Engine Start button of your choice (I always go for No.2)... ... when running then start the other engine, then check the vitals are running fine and turn off the ignition switches. One switch is important on the lower panel and that is on the "Avionics" selection and that is the "STBY INST" switch, if not switched on the standby instruments don't work. Startup sounds are fine, even good and directional, but certainly not the best in class, they are FMOD, but feel quite limited in their range. You will get the private jet feel, and the cabin is more higher volume wise than the cockpit, they are overall not bad for this category. You will need a bit of a push with the throttles to get the Mustang moving, depending on the weight? Full up at 3871 kg, just under MTOW (Maximum Takeoff Weight) and you really feel a heavy aircraft, and you also currently have to make a decision before takeoff, if range is required (1167 nmi (at max. takeoff weight) (1,343 mi, 2,161 km)) then you can't fill the aircraft to full tanks, the 510 would be too heavy, so 612 kgs is the max fuel you can load at full passenger weight capacity and so you are losing a good third of your range. You feel the MTOW weight again at throttle up, as the Mustang is slow on moving, and you will need a firm hand on the tiller to keep it central and tight to the centre line, lose it and you will be waving badly all the way down the runway, so you will need skill here. Many users noted earlier the Mustang felt over powered, after the update it feels like it has now gone slightly the other way. Take off distance is noted at 3,110 ft (948 m), but I struggled at KHAF's RWY12 5000ft (1524m) to get to the 138knts I needed to lift (at MTOW) so it suddenly became a "whoa!" moment as I crossed the end of runway line... ... but once airborne, you gathered speed quickly to the flap limit... this limit then tended to limit you, if you retracted the flap too early, you got a severe nose drop, so you needed the speed to overcome that, too far and you hit the flap drag limit, so timing is critical in retracting the flaps to zero. Rate of climb is high at 3,010 fpm (917 mpm), but I kept around the 2000fpm mark as to not hinder the speed building. I always gauge the aircraft from it's ability to climb and bank smoothly, it is in that holding the turn nicely while speed builds and here out of KHAF I have to do a full 180º to the north turn.... .... you still to be firm with the 510, but this sort of focus flying is fun, if you are good at it. I was not particularly thrilled of looking up the empty engine nacelles into a void, and I can't see any particle effects either to hide the blank holes. With that 3000fpm climb rate you can soon be up to altitude, in my case here 18,000ft. Service ceiling is a whopping 41,000 ft (12500 m) impressed! with a max speed of Mach 0.63 (483 mph, 777 km/h), or a cruise speed of 340 ktas (630 km/h). But many including myself have found the Mustang quite touchy at high speeds with bad porpoising with significant pitch movements (which is odd to the wing specifications), and yes I accounted for the high speed. Originally I couldn't find the flightplan line on the MAP/NAV setting, but it was there on the FPL selection? then later it appeared on the NAV setting... confusing? and it was hard to link up to the flightplan route so I got a bit lost and had to navigate my way around it. But there are niggles throughout the full MFD NAV Flightplan process, things change that you could just use, and then you can't... and then they were there again? I actually however like the layout a lot, but would certainly like the MFD control panel as a separate pop-up panel and not joined to the full screen layout, you miss this flexibility as if you want to do the adjustments from the pilot's seat as you have to have both the MFD and the adjustment panel situated on the rear console in the sole view. The Mustang certainly has that Citation feel, abet a mini version, but missing are those distinctive lower front window air deflectors, but this is a nice aircraft in the air. Dropping down into Portland I tested the speedbrakes, they pop-up above and below the wing and are very effective (switch is on the throttle handle) There have been several things on the flight up from KHAF, fuel consumption that doesn't feel right and neither does the performance, the 510 has a very fugal 95 gallons of fuel per hour consumption which is 792lbs, but I ran out after just around 237nm flying with as the PPH display said I was using 1043 lbs per hour and fuel was noted as set at a restricted 612 kgs (1,349 lbs) at takeoff, so there is a need for more tweaking of those areas, however I really enjoyed the flight, the Mustang is a nice little aircraft to cover distances in, but it is still currently in a need of a bit of refinement. Around 200knts is a nice approach speed to use before the final descent phase. Last 90º turn to Portland's KPDX RWY 10L... .... then down to 112knts for Flap 1 (TO/APP). Lighting is a bit unrefined, the main taxi and landing lighting is built into the belly of the aircraft, so are not very effective, the wing (Ice) lighting is fine in some view angles but larger in others and shines through the fuselage, the rest Nav, Beacon and Strobe are okayish. Full Flap (Land) and 94knts is a good final speed, stall is 82knts, but they say the wing is very stable at low speeds... one annoyance in the approach phase was the MAP kept changing "Terrain" settings, I don't know how or why, but it was distracting... throttle inputs? Finals and the Citation is very stable, you can place it and control your descent with authority... ... final flare is nice with a slight pitch up to touch down those wide spaced rear wheels... the passengers looked pretty impressed! It is just too hard to get to the throttle button to activate the spoilers as your focus is on keeping the aircraft straight on the centre line, no reverse thrust either, so you are dependent on just the friction overcoming the gravity roll. The Mustang looks nice on the flightline. Liveries There are six liveries (Paintkit available) with N510CM being the 510 launch livery, all are great in quality and detail (no HDR however), but you really want a few more. ___________________________________ Summary First we have to context the C510 Citation Mustang in it's category. You can't level it with say a Carenado or other high quality jet because this is not a US$45 dollar aircraft, it is a US$30 dollar release. So to expect the full range of features including extreme ultra details and features here is not going to give you a fair estimation of the Mustang, as it simply isn't in that category. However for what you pay you do get an extremely nice Private Jet. There are some really nice details here, a lovely cabin with nice looking (for a change) passengers, great details and a well set up cockpit, the aircraft looks really nice as well, and in areas it excels like with the cabin and cockpit lighting, but over all currently there is a slight uneveness about it all. More annoying is the fact that the Mustang has all the aspects in the basics to actually be the best of this class, but it overall feels slightly unrefined. The Custom G1000 feels buggy (just installing the standard Laminar G1000 fit-out may have been a better idea)... but things change as you use them, there one minute but gone the next and sometimes it just takes on a life of it's own? and all the panel manipulators are tricky to use smoothly. Missing inner engine detail and empty nacelles are a bit of a head-scratcher at this level, and no particle effects are in there either to hide it, missing chocks and static elements are also a mystery, menus however are simple but very nice to use and are acccessible. I'm not going there with the STMA updater, handy but seriously annoying. Performance does not seem right either, in power, speed and fuel consumption, there was no way I could even get close to the cruise speed and the fuel ran out mid-flight and it was well within the correct range? MTOW with fuel and a full load of passengers felt way off as well. Handling is improved from the release version, but still unstable at high speeds (of which these Citations are not as they run well under the limits of the straight wing configuration). So how do we sum up this Citation Mustang, in a pragmatic way. For the price it is excellent, and a great overall design with some great and nice features, lovely to be in and to use and this is a very nice little private jet aircraft... the details are the ones that need addressing, already there has been one large excellent update (this is v1.1) and in another a lot of the above could be addressed, if so then this Citation Mustang would be a very nice aircraft to fly and use, personally I like it but it needs refinement to live up to the higher standards it easily really could be. _______________________________ The Cessna Citation 510 Mustang by RWDesigns is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here : Cessna Mustang Priced at US$30.00 Features: High resolution 3D model 4K texture and normal maps for greater realism of materials Librain support (optional) VR support with large levels of VR configuration for greater VR ergonomics Aircraft sounds recorded from real C510s and powered by FMOD Superior interaction with the aircraft through scroll wheel support and popups (Multi Checklist, Weight and Balance Manager, MFD Controller, Menu) Highly accurate flight dynamics Customized G1000 powered by Laminar Custom electrical, fuel, warning, testing, and autopilot systems Interactive 3D passengers Highly customized night lighting Always fly with the latest version with the STMA Auto-updater Included in the package: C510 Mustang 5 paints + paintkit Aircraft Operating Manual Flight Tutorial Requirements: X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 410Mb (Current and Review version v1.1) Installation and documents: Download for the Citation Mustang is 412.20mb and the unzipped file deposited in the aircraft "General Aviation" X-Plane folder at 648.60mb. Documentation: RWDesigns provide a Flight Manual (48 Pages) and A Flight Tutorial (6 Pages), the route for the Tutorial is also provided. LFMNLSZH.fms Flight Manual.pdf Flight Tutorial.pdf ______________________________________________________________________ Aircraft review by Stephen Dutton 11th July 2019 Copyright©2019 : X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.35 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : LIbrain plugin Scenery or Aircraft - KHAF - Half Moon Bay by Rising Dawn Studios (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.00 - KPDX - Portland International Airport 1.5 by mister x6 (X-Plane.Org) - free
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