Carenado C340 - anyone with a quick mini review?

[badaboom 0]

Rob H has posted some nice screens in The screenshot forum, herehttp://forum.avsim.net/topic/323928-carenado-cessna-340/Also,Avsim has a Carenado forum here,you can find some very valuble information there.....http://forum.avsim.net/forum/397-c340-ii/I'm leaning towards purchasing it,I'd like to find out more about the OOM,CTD problems before I do.

[cenkcnk 24]

Rob H has posted some nice screens in The screenshot forum, herehttp://forum.avsim.net/topic/323928-carenado-cessna-340/Also,Avsim has a Carenado forum here,you can find some very valuble information there.....http://forum.avsim.net/forum/397-c340-ii/I'm leaning towards purchasing it,I'd like to find out more about the OOM,CTD problems before I do.

thanks for the links. i'am very impressed, especially vc looks very very good to me. :(

[bliksimpie 1]

Also,Avsim has a Carenado forum here,you can find some very valuble information there.....http://forum.avsim.net/forum/397-c340-ii/I'm leaning towards purchasing it,I'd like to find out more about the OOM,CTD problems before I do.

and then people get upset about my comment: Carenado just release for the sake of releasing.. patches to follow.. we so used to it by now....All but a clean release if you ask me?

[spotlope 0]

I'll try to keep it mature Last night, I did a couple hour flight in the C340--my first, in fact. Starting with the visuals (I always seem to start there), this bird is flat-out gorgeous. Carenado have always had an eye for graphics, but this plane, especially the VC, is something special. The modeling and texturing of the cockpit is subtle, but note-perfect. Several times during the flight, I was struck by how realistic and immersive the view around me was. It's a good thing an autopilot is included, because I got involved in studying the door panel by my left elbow, checking out the subtle shadows and the fact that everything - I mean everything - was modeled in 3D. I don't know if they've hired new talent at Carenado, or if the skills of the core team are just getting better, but this is a huge improvement over the already skillful work they'd produced before.Admittedly, I'm not familiar with the real 340 at all, from a systems perspective. However, I jumped in without reading a word of the manual and managed to get it off the ground, up into level flight, and into autopilot mode with no problems. Clearly there are some more things for me to learn, but I think I've got the broad strokes down already. Now I've got to do some reading up to figure out the stuff I couldn't make work, like how to slave the autopilot to the GPS. I ended up using radio navigation instead, which worked as expected. Also, I didn't find anything glaringly bizarre about the flight model. From that perspective, it certainly seems like a cleaner release than the Caravan, which in turn was less bug-prone than the original Bonanza. In fact, I didn't have any eye-roll moments during takeoff, climb, or cruise, which is an FDE first for me with a new Carenado bird.Clearly, there are some things that need to be worked on. Little things like the numbers on the altimeter need up-sizing, a couple of switches seem reversed, and so forth. Mostly I know about these from the forum, though. Personally, I didn't notice anything annoying except the small altimeter mid-numbers, but even that was hardly a deal breaker. The interior of the plane is very clean, with few signs of wear, which is why I think some people are finding it a bit boring. If I had to guess, I'd say their reference plane was just in really good condition, and that's reflected in the virtual model. The beauty is, all it takes is a painter with some patience and imagination, and a gnarlier version could be produced. All in all, I'm very satisfied with this release. It looks great, flies acceptably well, and puts a smile on my face during flight. That's pretty much all I look for in a plane. I'm sure there are those who could squawk about the negatives of just about any new release, but as far as I'm concerned the quality control at Carenado is on an upward trajectory. Having flown the 340 makes me more likely to keep buying their stuff, not less.

[Guest 413X3]

and then people get upset about my comment: Carenado just release for the sake of releasing.. patches to follow.. we so used to it by now....All but a clean release if you ask me?

Okay you've made your point, you have an axe to grind or probably work for another developer, so you have to bash Carenado and hope your words turn some people off.The only time people get CTD in Carenado's airplanes are when they use the weather radar, which doesn't happen to everyone. Comment out the wx gauge from the panel config and you shouldn't see any crashes. Or add in the RealityXp wx500 instead for an even better representation.I would like to know how much you are getting paid to post negative comments.

[Ron Attwood 3,566]

...The only time people get CTD in Carenado's airplanes are when they use the weather radar, which doesn't happen to everyone. Comment out the wx gauge from the panel config and you shouldn't see any crashes....

Does that mean a patch any time soon?

[badaboom 0]

Bill,Thanks very much for your informative,well written post,Sounds like the 340 has the #1 spot in your hanger! The only thing you didn't answer is.......... Will we be able to put her down at the upcoming Cushman scenery/ airport? KCMW

[spotlope 0]

Bill,Thanks very much for your informative,well written post,Sounds like the 340 has the #1 spot in your hanger! The only thing you didn't answer is.......... Will we be able to put her down at the upcoming Cushman scenery/ airport? KCMW

I guess that depends on how hard you ride those brakes on landing. Hey, maybe I could talk to the FBO manager about putting in carrier-style wires... :(

[nojwod 55]

The Cessna 340 is an excellent all round product from what my first couple of flights have shown. As with most Carenado releases, it's based on a real-world aircraft, which means if it's got an old autopilot and steam gauges, that's what you get in their model. I like that reasoning, after all if I went down to the local FBO and hired a 340, I couldn't demand RXP gauges, I would be flying with what the plane already has.The vc is top notch, and it's interesting to see the wealth of detail in the wings and tip tanks, as well as of course the interior. Possible the best all round vc I've seen in terms of feeling like I'm sitting in the hot seat. Flight model is rock solid, perhaps slightly too stable but considering the high wing loading of this heavy and powerful plane it's more than likely to be spot on I suspect. The only real gripe I have is there seems to be too much ground effect, once down to 10' it is loathe to settle down at less than 60kts and feels quite floaty, whereas I would expect it to need to be flown into the touchdown with a little power on.For once Carenado seems to have devoted a reasonable effort to the engine sounds, they are smooth, graduated and respond well to the prop pitch, unlike the Caravan. Only tweak I have done to the sound.cfg is to lower the wind noise by more than half.Haven't tried all the switches, pressurisation etc yet, but so far no complaints outside the normal FSX bugs of seeing the nav lights through the wing at certain angles from the vc etc.Extremely fps friendly, I didn't notice any hit on frame rates compared to the other regular aircraft I fly.$34.95 is at the steep end of what we expect to pay for FSX aircraft but with the wealth of perfectly modelled detail and lack of things to gripe about, I would say it represents as good a value for money as is available. As a comparison I paid about half that for the Diamond Twin Star on sale recently and even at half the price it's not even half the value IMHO.What would I change? Apart from trying to reduce the floating close to touchdown, I would consider a slightly scruffier look inside, a slightly less stable flight model, and.... that's about it for me.

[spotlope 0]

Ah yes, the sounds. I forgot to mention those. They're a couple of notches better than the usual Carenado engine notes - deeper, with more presence. It really makes you feel like you're sandwiched between two engines, practically close enough to touch on either side.

[Arklight1 140]

I actually like the clean cockpit. Not sure why people world want a dirty one. I like to think the aircraft was well maintained by the owner/pilot. To each his own! :)

[Guest 413X3]

Does that mean a patch any time soon?

Some people seem to have this problem but it's a small minority of users. Probably something to do with not installing the airplane with admin rights or something similar.

[ZachLW 37]

I have a teeny bit of time in a 340 Ram. Feels about like how I remember it. (Time was logged about 18 months ago) The real eye catcher for me is the VC. Makes me feel like I'm back in the plane... Gotta go fly it now, and yes it's 2:30am here.The exterior sounds, btw, are wonderful and believable.

[bliksimpie 1]

Okay you've made your point, you have an axe to grind or probably work for another developer, so you have to bash Carenado and hope your words turn some people off.The only time people get CTD in Carenado's airplanes are when they use the weather radar, which doesn't happen to everyone. Comment out the wx gauge from the panel config and you shouldn't see any crashes. Or add in the RealityXp wx500 instead for an even better representation.I would like to know how much you are getting paid to post negative comments.

No not bashing Carenado. I have all their stuff... i still think they are a great company producing value for money products as I have said so many times, and have made huge strides catching up but they just not there yet with the likes of Realair/PMDG. Their track record for releasing products that need patch after patch is unfortunately well known fact and it seem to continue. No real problem with the product but with the way they release there products. Either it has not been properly tested or it has been and they decided to still release it and rather fix it afterwords.there are a lot of people who actually know me here at AVSIM, over at ORBX and OZx and will be able to confirm I live in South Africa working for a food producing company, have no affiliations to any Flight Sim company. Want some more info on me PM me and will gladly send you all references to check out yourself. Oh and I earn enough and is not in the market to accept money to bash other company products. You are therefore welcome to apply for that position..!After seeing the bugs list just got longer and longer over at carenado I cant help but to chuckle into my sleeve in regards to you comments that it is so flawless. Let the product and bug list speak for itself. Some people cannot even use Saitek yokes with the plane.. (This paragraph is just directed at 41x3 and is not about laughing at Carenado product, so please dont get me wrong) Saitek isuesPlease do yourself a favor and go read the bug list for yourself and then make a better judgment. It definitely is not just one or two little items..Just stating facts..!! if you like it not..!The buglistTO the rest of the forum members: For the price it still one of the best planes for what you pay so go get it. Please see Nojwod and Spotlope reviews which summarize it beautifully. I am sure the bugs will be fixed and sorted out in no time as Carenado have done in the past. and sorry for this blah blah betweeen me and 413x3, please ignore this and go get the plane and enjoy it..Edit: Just found this pearl from KIWIKAT posted on the Carenado forum:"A forum is about opinions, and it should be that way."So 413x3, end of the day it is just opinions, so no need to get your knickers in a knot over my opinion.

[bliksimpie 1]

Some people seem to have this problem but it's a small minority of users. Probably something to do with not installing the airplane with admin rights or something similar.

Bhwahahahaaaaaa... you just made my day. Thank you..!