FSD Cheyenne.....I just have to tell you!

[spilok 1,132]

I upgraded my "already great" Piper Cheyenne yesterday with the new GMAX version, and I am sooooooooo impressed, I just had to let you all know.I'm very particular about Flight Dynamics, and Views..both inside and outside. This is one "sweet bird". She looks beautiful with the dynamic shine. She is truly very real-looking, I swear. The Virtual cockpit can really be enjoyed if you have ActiveCameraPro..because rolling down the runway toward V1 is beautiful to see from this view and the movement simulated in the cockpit with Active Camera is very impressive (force feedback adds more to this as well). Panning left and right and looking out over the engine cowls at the scenery below is such a thrill, you'd swear you were there in a real Cheyenne. Lastly, the CONTROL of this plane is nothing short of amazing. She trims out beautifully, flies like a dream, and as you trim down with less power, she flies "true" towards the runway. I felt NO jerkiness as I feel in other planes.I certainly hope you all upgrade your old Cheyenne if you haven't already, and if you don't have the 1st version, you're really missing a phenomenal addition to FS2002 AND FS2004. Great job, FSD. Stan

[Guest]

I wish they would have made it more realistic. The Cheyenne as is, is WAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY to powerful!I put mine away as it's just completely unrealistic and yes, i've been in seat #2 in a real one flying hunters/fisherman in Minnesota with a bud of mine. ;-)

[Guest firehawk44]

I have to agree the Cheyenne is awesome with lots of eye-candy. It's also too powerful. With the brakes engaged, it still moves around and I've done everything I can think of to reduce the power. I hope they have a fix for it or someone has a solution. Moving my joystick throttle lever up and down does or moving the joystick around does not work. Otherwise, great package!Jim

[Guest sbdwag]

"With the brakes engaged, it still moves around and I've done everything I can think of to reduce the power"Calibrate your throttle with FSUIPC and then hit F1 a couple of times incase you have any backplay in the throttle mechanism. That will allow the Cheyenne to set on the tarmac. You can also lower the prop pitch while taxing which will tone it down some more.You know I find it hard to believe that FSD does not know the flight dynamics of the Cheyenne. Perhaps when your were flying second fiddle the plane was heavly loaded with a topped fuel. Have you tried flying it a maximum weight. One thing Ive come to believe is that when Mr. Small releases flight dynamics you can depend on them being as close a humanly possible within the limitations of Flight SimulatorDennis

[spilok 1,132]

Yes....I have to agree about the power. It is the one negative. Actually, I mentioned that in this forum before FSD released this version. It is annoying, but the positives on this plane outweigh the negatives. MAYBE FSD WILL READ THIS AND GIVE US A PATCH FOR THIS HIGH-REVVING! Stan

[Guest oyvindhansen]

There are different engined versions of the Cheyenne, and FSD has modelled the most powerful one with 2000 hp, which is very much for a plane of its size.But even if it is too powerful it is still has my favourite turboprop FD, its just sooo smooth, and a real pleasure to fly.- Oyvind

[Guest jgoldman]

Stan:If I may do a clarification... First.. many people confuse the Cheyenne 400LS with the Cheyenne IIIB. While they look almost identical, they differ in many ways specially the engines used for the 400LS and the power those baby's have. Actually the C400LS has established speed records for turboprops., specially in relation to size. I do not have the specs here at work, but I can assure you that Steve has been most careful to keep the C400 with in specs. As for ground handeling... This is a bug in FS not in any AC FD for Turbo-props. It seems that actually the throttles will not go into idle because of a small error in the programing of FS2002. To my better understanding this has been corrected (I hope) in the forth coming installment of FS. In the mean time one thing that comes to mind and you can do easyly.. use your key pad to control the throttle and using the #3 lower the throttle to idle. This should stop the creeping of the engine. Also using cntrl+f1 will feather the prop.I hope Steve will come along and add more to this coversation.Mean while these are a few of the specs I found on the web:Piper PA-42-1000 Cheyenne 400LSHorsepower: 1000.0000 X 2 Top Speed: 351 kts Gross Weight: 12050 lbs Empty Weight: 7856 lbs Cruise Speed: 334 kts Fuel Capacity: 3819.00 gal Stall Speed (dirty): kts Range: 1879 nm Takeoff Landing Ground Roll: ft Over 50 ft obstacle: 1930 ft Ground Roll ft Over 50 ft obstacle: 2280 ft Rate Of Climb: 3242 fpm Rate of Climb (One Engine): 997 fpm Ceiling: 41000 ft Ceiling (One Engine): 28700 ft Hopefully once I get back home this evening I will be able to provide you better information.Also take a look at the following URL: http://www.aircraftdealers.net/performance/performance.htmBestJim FSD

[Guest]

Glad to hear you are happy with the upgrade. One question - does it still have the super sensitive throttle, ie. can you hold a constant speed during descent? My biggest gripe with the Cheyenne was pulling back the throttle ever so slightly past a certain point was like extending speed brakes. I'm only considering manual control of the throttle (I believe the actual Cheyenne autothrottle is for cruise only).Dale

[Guest sbdwag]

"My biggest gripe with the Cheyenne was pulling back the throttle ever so slightly past a certain point was like extending speed brakes."If I had a plane with four two by ten boards flung out in front of me in a cross pattern I would probable slow down pretty guick two when I let off the throttle. ;-)Dennis

[Guest]

"If I had a plane with four two by ten boards flung out in front of me in a cross pattern I would probable slow down pretty guick two when I let off the throttle."Not in the turbprops I have flown - assuming no change in pitch, reducing the throttle in a normal descent 1000 to 1800 fpm, it is fairly easy to hold a constant speed. Now a feathered prop at fine pitch would act like a speed brake and even in feathered pitch position presents a fair amount of resistance.For example, I rode jump seat in a Convair 580 and watced the pilot descend from 15,000 to 7,000. He reduced power slightly and settled into a 1200 fpm descent at his original airspeed of around 190 kias. As he neared level off, he gradually increased throttle and held his airspeed. When I try this in the Cheyenne, I keep reducing the throttle and the airspeed climbs until I hit the magic point where the airspeed begins to drop - rapidly. I use a CH Pro Throttle and have adjusted my settings to reduce sensitivity. Now, I don't claim to be the world's best pilot, but I don't have this problem with any other aircraft. I remember complaints about this when the plane was first introduced, but FSD brushed these aside, saying this is the way this plane behaves. Maybe so, but I don't have to like it, or buy it (again).Dale

[someone 0]

I broke down and purchased it yesterday. I swore I wouldn't buy any more addons until I got FS2004, but I'm a turboprop nut.So far I'm not too impressed. The reflections are overdone, it makes the white plane look grey. That's not a big deal because I don't spend much time outside the plane anyway.I noticed a few tiny bugs that sliped by, they should slap their beta testers for these:-On the overhead panel, when I click rotating beacon, it turns on the recognition lights, and clicking recognition lights turns on the rotating beacon.-The flap indicator mouseover reports 25

[Guest]

Thanks for the input. As I suspected, the throttle issue is still there. The aircraft does seem overpowered, but like you, I have no time in a real Cheyenne 400LS - I believe Steve Small wrote the .air file and he is one of the best, so I'm sure he had a basis for it. As to the lights, flap indicator, etc., FSD will surely issue some fixes, but I am surprised they didn't show up in the Beta. Think I'll put the 10 bucks toward something else for now.Dale

[John_Cillis 2,406]

334 KT Cruise...? 41000 ft. Ceiling? Why would anyone need a Citation? Is the aircraft Single Pilot Certified?

[LAdamson 240]

As with the previous Cheyenne; once and awhile I like to move down the isle and take a seat as a passenger. I guess I have this thing about nacelles and spinning props! :) It might not be exactly realistic, but this one flies very stable from a passenger view, when not on auto-pilot. Good control & easy to trim. As to being overpowered, as some have stated; I don't know! My real life preference is what some would call overpowered, but I like that push back into the seat feeling, and it's nice to have a simulated "rush" of power with this model. Since the real Cheyenne model that this duplicates can climb at near 4000 fpm, then I'm not really suprised how powerful it seems.I don't have a problem with the G-Max shine either. Looks good on my CPU, and the simulated reflections on the chrome intakes & spinnners look great while I'm relaxing in the aft cabin area..For the $10.50 upgrade price, it's well worth it .... IMOL.Adamson

[Guest Douglas K]

>Now a feathered prop at fine pitch would act like a speed brake and even in feathered pitch position presents a fair amount of resistance.Tanker, I believe you meant to say a prop at fine pitch would act like a speed brake, since a prop that is feathered is in nearly the opposite condition of fine or low pitch and it cannot be feathered and in low pitch at the same time!You are correct that a prop in low pitch increases the drag considerably (disking effect) but I am less sure about your statement concerning the fair amount of resistance present when a propellor is feathered. By turning the blades edge on into the relative wind, the rotation stops and the only drag that then exists would be from the "knife edge" of each propellor blade. I suppose it all depends on what the exact definition of "fair resistance" is. Confusing subject!:)>I've never flown a real Cheyenne 400LS, but I flew right seat in a Cheyenne II once, and several times in a KingAir C90. From what I remember, the throttle response is almost instant, when you pull the throttles you almost instantly see the torque drop, there's hardly any delay.I never owned the original Cheyenne, but the throttles on this one are weird. The top