Ok... I purchased it and played for a while. I'm willing to post some further info... but only if everyone understands I no longer make addons for FS... I simply wanted to keep my 'gold tag'.

 

Post Away!!!!

 

Does this puppy work in Prepar3d?

 

Well, unless something changed between there last 3 or 4 releases the issues in P3D have to do with the clickspots. Personally I could not get anything to click in the 337, but someone else said if you move your seat back and forth the clickspots come back. I have not yet been able to get that to work. Install it and let us know.

 

Bob

Downloading @ 790 kb/sec. I dont understand some people?

 

I was seeing 1500kB sec with a cable connection, took less than a minute

Post Away!!!!

 

First off... the 3D modelling is superb. A great deal of attention to detail was put into this model, and it shows. The texturing is also excellent. So... visually speaking, Carenado did an outstanding job in my opinion.

After taking the time to look the aircraft's model and textures over, I decided it was time to start checking systems fidelity and flight dynamics.

 

The first test was a simple one. Set up on the active, and push the throttles to the full limit for takeoff. It was at that point I noticed the first issue... the engines failed to redline torque. They should have easily exceeded torque redline at full throttle. The Hawker Beechcraft King Air C90 has PT6A-135A engines that are derated to 1520lbs of torque. That means that the performance limitation is a 'redline' in the torque value, and that the engines are actually capable of exceeding 1520lbs of torque.

Once airborne I put the aircraft into a climb. Climb speed at 112 kts, 9500lbs GW should see ~2000fpm rate of climb. I was unable to get it to that vertical speed but rather saw it climbing ~1200fpm.

In level flight I took a few minutes to test the responsiveness of the aircraft. The roll rate seemed a bit sluggish, but the elevators were quite snappy and responsive. I was going to test rudder effectiveness but FSX had other plans (crash).

Reloaded and back on the ground it's time to go through the systems. Pulling out a real-world C90 checklist and sitting down... things started not 'lining-up' rather quickly. I could spell out all the details regarding the system fidelity... but... I'll sum it all up as follows:

1. The interior and exterior 3D model are superior.

2. The flight dynamics are decent, but not completely accurate.

3. The systems modelling are completely inaccurate.

I think it's going to be a fun addon... but it's not an accurate addon. So, if you want fun... it's got it in spades... if you want accurate... it needs a defibrilator.

IDK either.... it appeals mostly to the online crowd as far as I can tell. If I was a regular fly flightsim offline kinda dude I'd be all over this.

 

Some of the waypoints in the default FSX GPS still exist RW today - but many things have changed. For instance, in Duluth approach airspace just since the five years I worked for the FAA we've had numerous approach plate changes and completely new approaches and deleting of old approaches. It's tough to stay current in the FSX world without Navigraph or RXP....

 

As far as I was aware, the RXP units rely on the Garmin trainer database which is never up to date anyway! Has this changed these days then?

You can get late 2011 data here. This really made a difference for me. http://www.simforums...topic39731.html

I think it's going to be a fun addon... but it's not an accurate addon. So, if you want fun... it's got it in spades... if you want accurate... it needs a defibrilator.

 

I think we could probably say that about quite a lot of FS add-on aeroplanes if we're being brutally honest.

 

Al

First off... the 3D modelling is superb. A great deal of attention to detail was put into this model, and it shows. The texturing is also excellent. So... visually speaking, Carenado did an outstanding job in my opinion.

After taking the time to look the aircraft's model and textures over, I decided it was time to start checking systems fidelity and flight dynamics.

 

The first test was a simple one. Set up on the active, and push the throttles to the full limit for takeoff. It was at that point I noticed the first issue... the engines failed to redline torque. They should have easily exceeded torque redline at full throttle. The Hawker Beechcraft King Air C90 has PT6A-135A engines that are derated to 1520lbs of torque. That means that the performance limitation is a 'redline' in the torque value, and that the engines are actually capable of exceeding 1520lbs of torque.

Once airborne I put the aircraft into a climb. Climb speed at 112 kts, 9500lbs GW should see ~2000fpm rate of climb. I was unable to get it to that vertical speed but rather saw it climbing ~1200fpm.

In level flight I took a few minutes to test the responsiveness of the aircraft. The roll rate seemed a bit sluggish, but the elevators were quite snappy and responsive. I was going to test rudder effectiveness but FSX had other plans (crash).

Reloaded and back on the ground it's time to go through the systems. Pulling out a real-world C90 checklist and sitting down... things started not 'lining-up' rather quickly. I could spell out all the details regarding the system fidelity... but... I'll sum it all up as follows:

1. The interior and exterior 3D model are superior.

2. The flight dynamics are decent, but not completely accurate.

3. The systems modelling are completely inaccurate.

I think it's going to be a fun addon... but it's not an accurate addon. So, if you want fun... it's got it in spades... if you want accurate... it needs a defibrilator.

 

Wow, good job Bud! The carenado folks, if listening, are either shaking their heads saying "Who is this guy", or they are crossing their fingers and hoping either no one cares or they don't read this post. This one will bring on some posts for sure, so get ready!

 

I wish I knew enough about the plane to do a real assessment.

 

Bob

Post Away!!!!

 

 

 

Well, unless something changed between there last 3 or 4 releases the issues in P3D have to do with the clickspots. Personally I could not get anything to click in the 337, but someone else said if you move your seat back and forth the clickspots come back. I have not yet been able to get that to work. Install it and let us know.

 

Bob

 

That's wierd, I have no issues with the Malubu and Prepar3d on my end.

Wow, good job Bud! The carenado folks, if listening, are either shaking their heads saying "Who is this guy", or they are crossing their fingers and hoping either no one cares or they don't read this post. This one will bring on some posts for sure, so get ready!

 

I wish I knew enough about the plane to do a real assessment.

 

Bob

 

Oh... I personally like the purchase. So... if anyone wonders... I can't complain about the money spent and what I got. But I wanted to be honest about what I saw. No more, no less.

Is this the C90GT?

The working wipers are a nice touch.. Eyecandy but adds to the atmosphere nicely.

 

 

Oh... I personally like the purchase. So... if anyone wonders... I can't complain about the money spent and what I got. But I wanted to be honest about what I saw. No more, no less.

 

Hi

 

Great mini review. Just wondering, where'd you get those climb specs from? (The 2000 fpm one)Something from Beechcraft or prior experience?

 

Thanks

Lee

The whole Reality XP GPS thing appeals to those who think that without it or a fully functional FMC you simply cannot navigate anywhere...

 

Man up, file a flight plan using equipment suffix A and do it the old fashion way!

 

That is a lie... I can;t believe you actually wrote that... Having the RXP unit adds the ability to fly /G etc etc and to do those approaches where RNAV/GPS is the only approach. I can fly /A exceptionally well - dare I say almost as well as an instrument rated pilot...

 

That is all.

I think you should buy it if you'll be happy with it as it is, as far as you can tell by the customer feedback, never based on what future updates might or might not bring. Remember the Fokker 70/100 VC farce? Carenado isn't Digital Aviation, but to me it's still a lesson learned. Fool me once...

 

To me it stands or falls based on RXP integration.

Ok... I have to correct myself... I read off the wrong engine specs... should have been the PT6A-21 which is a derated PT6A-27. The engines should still be capable of exceeding torque redline.