Carenado Piper Saratoga

[jjn47 24]

Looks like it's ready to roll out of the hanger over at the Carenado site.

[snave 0]

Like BartEnder I think a note of caution is a VERY Good Thing when referring to Carenado, whose recent releases have been a very hit and miss affairThe Seneca is a woeful disappointment for me having tried it on a friends computer expecting to buy it later that day, then being extremely glad I didn't. Their gauges are simply repeated affairs from other releases (how many times can we be asked to pay for the same thing before something gets said?) their systems modelling doesn't get out of the Steam Age even when the aircraft they are modelling come from the Fifties or later, they lack the `bells and whistles` that make payware so acceptable for the price these days and unlike most developers they seem unable to move on from the `pretty exteriors, shame about everything else` mentality that make their craft great for screenshots and rubbish for flying around in the sim. How does one remove the pilot? Add chocks, tiedowns and covers? use a load manager? Repair the aircraft after damage caused by improper use? (It's a rhetorical question, Carenado offer NONE of these things and in a recession, with their prices, they SHOULD).I would like to endorse Mesa's warning, thank him for saying what so many of us are thinking, and remind moderators that dissent is not abuse of forum privilege, but stifling free and frank expression certainly could be, particularly if the product is going to be sold through the Avsim shop.

[Guest realatp]

Its true, every aircraft Carenado make, look the same, feel the same and are the same. After I aquired the RealAir Duke I haven't flow anything other the PMDG 41. I honestly think it would make more sense for them to sell ONE VC and then make you buy a different Model, because that's pretty much what they are already doing. That's fine though, they make crap I won't buy, somebody will make something good (ie F1 or RealAir or PMDG or AirSimmer etc etc) and those will be the guys that get my dollar. And why does everyone have to be so nice here?

[pontiuspilotus 6]

I actually like this new Saratoga. I've never flown one in real life but the handling just feels right. The sound set is as good as the Seneca, which I also have. I don't have a problem with the steam gauges; in fact, that is what I like most about Carenado aircraft, i.e. authentic old school instrument panels. Your mileage may vary, however. No one's being forced to buy their aircraft. :( I'll probably get their Bonanza when it's released in the next couple of months.

[fisheye 3]

Its true, every aircraft Carenado make, look the same, feel the same and are the same. After I aquired the RealAir Duke I haven't flow anything other the PMDG 41. I honestly think it would make more sense for them to sell ONE VC and then make you buy a different Model, because that's pretty much what they are already doing. That's fine though, they make crap I won't buy, somebody will make something good (ie F1 or RealAir or PMDG or AirSimmer etc etc) and those will be the guys that get my dollar. And why does everyone have to be so nice here?

It's called "Respect" you know, like the song.....

[AlphaInfinity 13]

Wasn't happy with the sounds on the RGII. Will be interested to hear if they improved their sound package with the new release.

[Geofa 108]

Like BartEnder I think a note of caution is a VERY Good Thing when referring to Carenado, whose recent releases have been a very hit and miss affairThe Seneca is a woeful disappointment for me having tried it on a friends computer expecting to buy it later that day, then being extremely glad I didn't. Their gauges are simply repeated affairs from other releases (how many times can we be asked to pay for the same thing before something gets said?) their systems modelling doesn't get out of the Steam Age even when the aircraft they are modelling come from the Fifties or later, they lack the `bells and whistles` that make payware so acceptable for the price these days and unlike most developers they seem unable to move on from the `pretty exteriors, shame about everything else` mentality that make their craft great for screenshots and rubbish for flying around in the sim. How does one remove the pilot? Add chocks, tiedowns and covers? use a load manager? Repair the aircraft after damage caused by improper use? (It's a rhetorical question, Carenado offer NONE of these things and in a recession, with their prices, they SHOULD).I would like to endorse Mesa's warning, thank him for saying what so many of us are thinking, and remind moderators that dissent is not abuse of forum privilege, but stifling free and frank expression certainly could be, particularly if the product is going to be sold through the Avsim shop.

Interesting... as a steam gauge Baron Pilot my 3 favorite fsx aircraft are the Real Air Duke , Just flight Duchess, and the Carenado Seneca...I don't care at all for chocks, tiedowns,or load managers....But I find the Carenado matches my rw Baron more-real aircraft look that way-not the pristine perfect air brushed gauges and cockpits of some others. I've even seen a few complain about its fm and I have no problem with it. I've been waiting for a fs B55 Baron to be created for years but I have to say the Carenado Seneca gets the closest..I have no problem with dissent, and have no idea if the product is sold thru the avsim shop-just my opinion.So that is my dissent...By the way-when I was a bonanza single driver-I had lots of critiques on the Carenado vtail fm...To each his own-and bring on discussion ..only in a respectful way.

[Guest Longyear]

Everyone has the right to buy or ignore a new release.That apart, I have found myself evolve from being a big Carenado fan, to being highly disappointed with their repetitive approach to releases.They stay so far in their comfort zone, I mean, the recent Archer release was so disappointing. Yet another PA28 varient, (and another 180hp model at that - same as their Cherokee 180F!), nothing new, same nice visuals but poor flight model, dull default-like gauges and avionics. I appreciate that Carenado stick with GA, theres nothing wrong with that - but it't the predictability and the failure to move the bar up or give buyers something more that has put me off Carenado. Didn't go for the Seneca and won't be buying the Saratoga.The day Carenado do something, just something a little different, I'll be back at their door.... (a microlight / LSA aircraft perhaps, or something outside of the usual Piper/Cessna/Beechcraft stable).Davido.

[snave 0]

Everyone has the right to buy or ignore a new release.That apart, I have found myself evolve from being a big Carenado fan, to being highly disappointed with their repetitive approach to releases.They stay so far in their comfort zone, I mean, the recent Archer release was so disappointing. Yet another PA28 varient, (and another 180hp model at that - same as their Cherokee 180F!), nothing new, same nice visuals but poor flight model, dull default-like gauges and avionics. I appreciate that Carenado stick with GA, theres nothing wrong with that - but it't the predictability and the failure to move the bar up or give buyers something more that has put me off Carenado. Didn't go for the Seneca and won't be buying the Saratoga.The day Carenado do something, just something a little different, I'll be back at their door.... (a microlight / LSA aircraft perhaps, or something outside of the usual Piper/Cessna/Beechcraft stable).Davido.

Actually their techniques and simplistic modelling of systems would lend itself to LSA's, an area of FS that has been ill-served to this point. Good idea!I guess the point is that Carenado choose their price point and I choose mine, and they don't coincide. For pretty much that same money I wanted - and got - full systems simulation in the light aircraft area with the A2A Piper Cub. And I paid LESS for the Duke... And no-one is going to put the fidelity of even the best Carenado model in the same league as those. Carenado have stood still while the sim has moved on, and their `comfort zone` is reflected in the fact that they choose to model a nineties Saratoga and still use the decrepit seventies gauges. For that money I want a modern panel as a second choice, I want full and proper systems and bells and whistles that other developers are happy to offer at the same price. And I'd like Carenado to open their own forums to offer support to paying customers. Given the errors that often creep into their releases, that is the very least they could do.

[kerosene31 349]

The older style panels are great on performance as well. Complex aircraft were fun in FS9, but in FSX anything with even the slightest modernization drains my FPS quite considerably. Carenado's planes on the other hand run with about the same performance as the defaults, with fantastic visual models. If it weren't for Carenado's planes, FSX would be on my shelf. I just did a reinstall and the only aircraft I reinstalled were theirs. Looking forward to trying the Saratoga out.

[Guest jonthedoors]

God those guys must be busy...I hope if they make an FS2004 version, it's not as buggy as the Seneca or the Arrow...They've been a big dissapointment!!

[Guest jonthedoors]

I appreciate that Carenado stick with GA, theres nothing wrong with that - but it't the predictability and the failure to move the bar up or give buyers something more that has put me off Carenado. Didn't go for the Seneca and won't be buying the Saratoga.The day Carenado do something, just something a little different, I'll be back at their door.... (a microlight / LSA aircraft perhaps, or something outside of the usual Piper/Cessna/Beechcraft stable).Davido.

I do kinda of agree with you, there.I'd like to see more stuff in the region of older aircraft from them. They can still use their beechcraft/piper/cessna tradmark (whatever you'd call it), but they could do more aircraft like the Beech Mentor. For example - Maybe a Piper Tripacer, or a Cessna 120, something in the vintage scene... That's what I'd like to see, personally. It's within their capabilities, we all know that, and it's nothing different. It'd be something fresh from Carenado.