Further: I'm not willing at this point to even take a look on a webpage at any other Phenom;

 

Your loss, but glad you are enjoying your purchase all the same  no one is having a go at you here.

Its just that when products are released with so many discrepancies in the systems simmers tend to be critical.

The truth of it is that the "Older" product is a better all round simulation of a Phenom and better value.

 

To say that folks here being critical of the Carenado Phenom has made you dermined never to buy from Feelthere or Just flight has left me shaking my head here, just a really odd comment to make in my opinion, how else can we find out about worthwhile products if not from recommendations here ?

After waffling back and forth between the FeelThere and the Carenado Phenom, I am happy to report satisfaction with the Carenado. On my system, for the first flight I took at least, I have very little FPS impact, the model is gorgeous, and everything worked as expected. Flying P3D 1.4 (yeah, I know: what a Luddite!), it was smooth and problem free.

 

After installation, I did a cold and dark start, flight plan loaded courtesy of Plan-G (no FMC challenges), I went through a mental checklist and got everything started. G1000 track and range settings, engine start, etc. I even discovered the secret handshake for setting the target cabin pressure! Everything worked. And the VC is beeeyooooteeefullll... Man, when I turn on the instrument lights and dim it just right it is a marvelous view!

 

Take-off was a bit sketchy, as did not have the ATR (Automatic Thrust Reserve) engaged (as others have observed), and rolling down the runway my engine monitor flashed blood-red as I advanced the throttle. However, since I was only packing 50% fuel I was able to back off, take advantage of a long runway, and lift off without issue. Climb was a bit anemic (the T-Duke pulverizes this little jet in climbing ability), but I think if I had RTFM I would have found the ATR setting for greater thrust. As it were, 2,000 fpm up until 8K, 1,500 up until 12K, and 1K up to my test flight altitude of 15K. A little bit of a fuel hog, but that is probably due to my lack of ATR and not going high enough.

 

No issues with panning, changing viewpoints, nothing. Nice and smooth, and a pretty well locked-on 29.x to 30 fps. Even when going through a thunder storm! (Opus weather engine).

 

On landing I came in way too high, but thought I would try a hairball approach anyway. Full flaps, gear extended, and everything was good, if 3,000 fpm descent is good... That proved to be just a bit too hairball so I went around. That was the only time I saw a stutter - on the turn back. Nonetheless, she feels like a good hand flyer (it is not as if I would know!), smooth and predictable. Greased the landing, albeit halfway down a very long runway.

 

I know there are some in in the community that disapprove of the depth of Carenado flight models, and I may find things pop up as I continue exploring. But my first impression is overwhelmingly positive: every system that I wanted to enable from cold and dark worked, the AP worked as it should for my limited test, and it flew like one would expect a VLJ (if slightly under-powered) to fly.

 

You may be frustrated if you are a Q400 or PMG pilot, but if you are like me, a "student" who only recently understood the appeal of cold and dark starts, understanding all the systems that go into making it work, and want to move from GA props to jets, I think you will really like the Carenado Phenom 100.

You seemed to have mastered the cold & Dark on the Phenom..

There sadly is no documentation the the process for startup and shutdown/secure from carenado except their PDFS that are more of a checklist....

Would you mind passing on your C&D startup process/flow...and is it accurate?

Thanks

Will Charles

Basically it is not possible to do a fully accurate C+D in the Carenado Phenom as the necessary  functions are not modelled.

The Autopilot also does not implement the FLC mode correctly either which is typical of Carenado's lazy approach to coding systems

The model looks nice but is not as well simulated as the Feelthere product, not even close.

 

Some folks are happy with just a pretty set of textures though, each to their own.

Hi Will, 

 

It is not a full-on cold and dark, ala a full-function check list as Glynn would like.

 

Instead, I just go through the things that need to be done in order to get an aircraft started and flyable. Batteries, pumps, LFE (which is selected on the MFD), cabin pressure, etc. It is not exhaustive by any stretch, but I don't have any orange lights/messages and everything seems to work at it should.

 

The hardest thing in my use has been getting the AP to respond predictably. If something does not work, fine, but when it seems that one command sequence operates differently from another it drives me buggy. I don't fly the Phenom as much as I used to (went back to pure GA, trying to learn ATC and IFR better), so I am pretty rusty. Although I did do my first full-on IFR flight in the Phenom 300 (room the carry the kids AND the dogs) and it was quite an adventure.

 

The simplicity of a Bendix King auto-pilot with a functional ARM mode cannot be beat...    :wink: