I have been unable to find any positive/negative reviews about the Carenado Archer II. Hows the aircraft? Does it have an autopilot (can not see one in any of the panel photos)? What do you like or dis-like about the aircraft.One of my favorite aircraft in FS9 is the Dreamfleet Archer III, but I upgraded my computer to a Windows 7 Pro64 system and I can no longer fly the aircraft because of my new operating system and how it interacts with the older style Garmin trainer provided by Dreamfleet. I have a number of Carenado Aircraft, but I always found and reviewed some form of a review prior to my purchase of a new piece of software. Having trouble finding anything written about this aircraft.ThanksTom

I have it and I like it. I cannot do any extensive review as I've only flown maybe an hour in it. It's a competitor to the Cessna 172, similar performance. I also bought the Carenado Cessna 172 as that's what I have all my real life hours in, and I tend to fly it more often. Things I like about the Archer: great glossy Imron paint yea! Smooth handling, simple operation. I don't much care for the brown panel, but it's fine. I actually bought it so I'd have a simple low wing trainer to fly, and it's a great aircraft for flight training. I'm not sure if the acceleration down the runway is right, but what do I know? I never flew one in real life, but it seems a little slow. I like being able to click an instrument for a closer look. I got it on sale at Christmas time and I am glad I did. I've been touring Italy in it. It's a nice aircraft especially as inexpensive as it is. Hope this helps. I hope someone with more experience it this airplane in real life chips in, too.

I purchased the aircraft and I am somewhat disappointed. Nice looking model, but it came without an autopilot and very little documentation. I am using the invisible autopilot (kneeboard autopilot commands) and the plane will not hold on point either of the NAV1 or Localizer Hold Commands. Although I mostly fly by hand, I use the autopilot as the wife to do switch. In the area of documentation I though the Arrow was somewhat weak, but it looks good when compared to the Archers supplied documentation. A cockpit layout graphic would have been nice. Not certain why there is a NAV/GPS Switch when there is nothing to tie it back to.Now on the positive side, overall this is a great plane to fly by hand. If you have installed a number of high end graphic packages, like I have, the aircraft is easy on the frame rates and flies slow enought to allow you to enjoy the view. Have not flow the plane in weather yet, but its small size and weight should test my flying abilities.Tom

The Archer III was my all time favorite to fly in FS9 and find the Archer II just as good. I learned ILS procedures in the Archer III and got real good at hand flying and using the Stech 55 on auto pilot. One of these days i will upgrade the panel to reality XP guages and Gps. Simple to fly, easy to land. Night flying is hard to see out of the windows, just like a real one. I am a Piper man and did my student flying in a warrior and the plane reacts almost spot on. The carenado model feels a tad heavy compared to a warrior but you can change it in the CFG file. Took awhile to find the Nav/Gps switch though for ILS. Worth the money.

Thanks for the reply.Over the past week I have taken the aircraft out for a couple of walks. After a couple of short flight around Northern Minnesota, I am taking it for a "long haul". I am in the process going from KFCM to KMFE. Since this is a break in flight I did not set up a formal flight plan, I am just establishing waypoints as I go and trying out the various navigational features of the aircraft. I like to fly using real time weather and yesterday I ran in to some severe head winds along the Iowa/Missoui border and had to set the plane down for a couple of hours. Amarillo is my next stop and I should complete my flight into McAllen Texas sometime Monday night.Overall it is a very good plane, but still it is a replacement for what was my favorite FS9 GA. Tom