CARENADO PA46 MALIBU MIRAGE SERVICE PACK1 RELEASED

Released September 4th, 2013, 1830GMT

Improvements:
- EMIS connected to Master Switch.
- Blower sound added.

Fixes:
- GTX327 Flight Time issue.
- Copilot GyroCompass turned by 180∞.
- Left fuel tank tooltip added.
- Total Fuel Capacity fixed.
- Door opening in control window issue fixed.
- Some minor misspellings.
- Cabin Pressure Switch, added to Reality XP models.
- Several minus issues.

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Hi

Thanks for that, got the SP but for some reason the parking cones have got worse both now are floating of the ground, even more before the SP.

 

Its seems the EMIS fuel stats issue is still not fixed.... It does not show the correct fuel remaining in the "FUEL" page no matter what you set in the fuel load page.

Try lowering your mesh resolution in Custom Settings in FSX, see if it changes anything, for the cones issue.

I complain about the engine...I don't feel a turbocharged 350hp 6 cylinder engine...that engine is BIG! but, it cruises almost the same as the 206 and the Malibu, is supposed that has a much bigger engine, much more powerful...and I really don't feel that powerful engine...it needs a bit of extra power...30" MP, 2400 rpm 15,500ft, 2 pax, no baggage, with some tailwind, it just go up to 143 KIAS...almost the same as the 206 in the same configuration...that's not fair :( it should be cruising at least at 155 or even 160...even the fuel...the NMPG shows 8-10nmpg in that config...too low...it needs an adjustment...it should be a bit more powerful...

Its seems the EMIS fuel stats issue is still not fixed.... It does not show the correct fuel remaining in the "FUEL" page no matter what you set in the fuel load page.

I noticed this, too; according to the EMIS I have infinite fuel if I let it default to full up at 120 gallons, it calculates fuel left and used, but still shows perpetually full tanks along with those numbers.

 

I noticed this, too; according to the EMIS I have infinite fuel if I let it default to full up at 120 gallons, it calculates fuel left and used, but still shows perpetually full tanks along with those numbers.

 

It seems that this is turning into the norm with Carenado... It was the same issue with the TBM "AUX TRIP PLANNING" page (and SR22 and I am sure all other Carenado G1000s)... Bert made some coding changes to the way it calculates the economy readings on the TBM.... Funny thing is when I told Carenado about this, they had no clue what I was talking about and said nothing was wrong..... These things drive me nuts...

 

I don't think Bert purchased this a/c so we may have to find the code on the PA46 ourselves... I will start looking tonight...

 

 

30" MP, 2400 rpm 15,500ft, 2 pax, no baggage, with some tailwind, it just go up to 143 KIAS...

 

Umm...  A bit of confusion here between IAS and TAS (Indicated airspeed/true airspeed) I'm thinking.  Tailwind, headwind, IAS doesn't change.

 

I'm flight planning about 190+ TAS in the mid teens at normal cruise power settings, and that's coming out about right.  Haven't done a detailed comparison, but the power settings seem pretty close vs what the plane should do.

 

The Mirage is a BIG (for a piston single) cabin class plane - emphasis on piston and single.  It's not a speed demon, it's a 6 person, pressurized, turbocharged piston SINGLE.  It needs every bit of that 350 HP to haul it around, but get up to the high teens in altitude, and it does OK.

 

After my first flight with the SP, it certainly seems to have fixed the problem I had with the right side DG seeming to throw off the HSI, the AP and almost anything associated with heading indication.  Need to fly some more to be sure.  Maybe I'm mis-remembering, though, but FF now seems way too high.  Around 24-25 GPH at normal cruise settings..

 

Scott

Are you leaning to peak TIT? I'm at normal cruise now and it's showing 18.5gph the problem I have with it is the fuel flow on takeoff it's only showing 32.8 gph and that is way too low it should be nearly 40 to 43gph  I'm also showing 120 on the fuel remaining this needs to be fixed

another necrobump  :mellow:

 

 

Are you leaning to peak TIT? I'm at normal cruise now and it's showing 18.5gph the problem I have with it is the fuel flow on takeoff it's only showing 32.8 gph and that is way too low it should be nearly 40 to 43gph I'm also showing 120 on the fuel remaining this needs to be fixed

 

Yep, leaned.  Interesting that you seem to be getting the exact opposite of what I am.  Full takeoff power, I recall FF well into the 40s.  BTW, I say "recall" because I haven't flown the Malibu in some time so I don't recall too many specifics at this point.  Sorry.

 

Scott

Seems like a good number of the issues mentioned in the original bug list weren't addressed.  Still, I do really like this plane.  I have it and the Jetprop and this one is far, far better.  Not a single CTD so far.  Here are the bugs I've found so far.  Most of these are minor:

 

• Annunciator panel only comes on after you turn on the Radio Master.  The only serious thing but it only affects the checklist...not the flying.
• If you don't touch the fuel switch and leave it on the left tank it pulls from both tanks evenly.  Maybe it does that to be nice.
• Cabin Press Pull Off tool tip is backward and the Digit Ind switch tool tip says "Switch" (I don't know what it does.)
• Cabin Pressure dial is a hassle  Having said that, the actual Cabin Pressure system behaves just like RW from what I can see and that's saying something because it's a bit unusual.  I saw a demonstration video (see the links below) that shows that it behaves the same.
• ADF doesn't work...can't spin the compass.  (An RMI for flying arcs would have been killer!)
• Ground Clearance radio doesn't work.  Not sure how it could without the GPS being on. 
• Not sure if this is a bug or not.  If your gyro-compass has drifted the autopilot can drift two dots when on GPS NAV.  It's a pretty good indicator you need to adjust your compass.  Wouldn't it have been nice to have the slave enabled.

That's not bad.  The engine instruments are really well done.  Handling is wonderful and flying in the pattern is just plain fun.  Fuel flow at cruise looks right...a bit low on the climb.  Might be a bit more slippery than the real aircraft with the flaps down but that can be handled by reducing MP a bit.  Also, it doesn't need much runway (which is one reason I chose it)  I, too, thought the noise cancelled sound was weird so I replaced some files with engine sounds from the C337 (also Lycoming).  Good for now.  I found quite a bit of flying info online for this airplane and it's been fun to go through it and see that this is really well done.

 

Quite a few nice videos:

 

http://www.howitflies.com/Piper-PA-46-Malibu

 

Some articles that talk through the procedures:

 

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/1995/June/1/Piper-Malibu-Mirage.aspx

http://www.pilotweb.aero/features/flight-tests/piper_malibu_mirage_1_1650218

http://www.avweb.com/news/usedacft/182792-1.html?redirected=1

 

Seems that pilots really love this airplane.

 

My only loud gripe is the night lighting...far too bright to fly this at night.  Needs to be toned way, way down.  Would have been nice to have spoilers but that's only an option on the RW airplane.

 

Happy flying!

Gregg

Shame that so many Carenado aircraft are left with a list of issues that will never get fixed. Most of their aircraft with steam gauges are really worth something.

 

 

If you don't touch the fuel switch and leave it on the left tank it pulls from both tanks evenly. Maybe it does that to be nice.

 

This one is actually due to default FSX behavior.  I was told by someone that this was a feature, not a bug, intended to accommodate those who don't want to mess with these kinds of "details".  If you decide to mess with it, it works.  If you don't, it defaults to benign behavior.

 

 

 

and the Digit Ind switch tool tip says "Switch" (I don't know what it does.)

 

Never been able to figure that one out either.

 

 

 

Ground Clearance radio doesn't work. Not sure how it could without the GPS being on.

 

This and the cabin pressure dial being so finicky are both direct carryovers from the JetProp.  Nothing was changed.  What the ground clearance switch should do is to selectively enable power to a single radio rather than the entire avionics bus, so that you could power it on without having to burn battery also powering everything else.  It's not a huge deal, but it would be nice to see implemented.

 

And yes, carryovers of existing problems are the sort of thing that sometimes frustrates about Carenado.

 

Scott

Shame that so many Carenado aircraft are left with a list of issues that will never get fixed. Most of their aircraft with steam gauges are really worth something.

 

 

So true.  One wonders what goes through their mind.  They don't engage with the community at all except for Bernt.  They have no forum.  They have the unofficial forum here but are never here.  Do they not care?   Are they afraid to be involved? 

 

 

 

This one is actually due to default FSX behavior.

 

I should have thought of that. 

 

 

 

It's not a huge deal, but it would be nice to see implemented.

 

Yes.  I had to run out and, while I was driving, I got to thinking about what makes an airplane great.  Here they have great graphics, generally ('cept that night lighting needs work , great FDEs, and they're in their best water with steam.  So far, it's great.  So,

• a ground clearance radio
• an RMI
• rain effects
• all three night lighting switches (even variable lighting)
• icing...should register power usage...should work too...and this airplane can fly into icing.
• all those do nothing switches like cabin heat

I don't by any means at all mean to not recognize the windshield scratches and the 3D prop.  They continue to innovate on graphics and keep getting better on flight modelling too.  They are working on systems...each new release, while it always has problems, keeps getting better.  They did a really nice job on some of the new systems they put in this plane. But they need to work on basics at the same time.   

 

I still say this is a wonderful plane. I bought it from Flight1 but I won't be returning it.