Doesn't the Baron beat the turbo bonanza?  Maybe up at FL250 the Bonanza with O2 could beat out the normally aspirated baron.

I think down low at say 8000, the baron would true out a bit faster.

So, I needed a twin.....Ok. I wanted a twin....oh alright I just like the look and the sound of a twin..So I bought...........

the Seneca! 

Chose a random point in the middle of the Tasman Sea and set my departure point and I spawned at 2000 feet. Pushed the throttle forward, checked gear and flaps up and turned east with whatever fuel that aircraft defaulted with. Calculated I could make landfall with Auckland as destination. Set up the AP and climbed to FL230, FLP DCT NZAA. Calculations a bit out so I cheated and set up an 80kt jet stream in my favour 🙂 . Still couldn't make it. 😞 Replanned DCT NZNP New Plymouth and made it with 6 gallons to spare. Over achieved! 

Two thumbs up for the Seneca. Obviously this first flight was just a bit of fun but it does focus your attention on the essentials if you want to land on terra firma or admit failure and ditch. I gotta say it fly's very nicely with no apparent foibles and feels very stable on approach and not too twitchy on landing. I felt the nav system was intuitive and the AP did as it was told. I like the steam gauges as well as the no boundaries for viewing . So you can just slide out the side of the aircraft and sit on the wing for while if you need some fresh air! That beats having to access the MSFS Cockpit and External menu all the time and is great for imagery. 

As mentioned by others, the deicing thingy on the screen is a bit of a PITA. But I kind looked past in that in the final few thousand feet when I was more concerned if the props would keep turning!

I had this or the Seminole on my must have list so for me the Seneca was a good deal at 30% discount and a lot of aeroplane for the dollars. I just paid $30 for 2.5 hours of heart pumping fun and I haven't even really started using the aircraft yet. Thanks Carenado!       

 Cheers

 

Terry

PS:  Is it a good rendition of the Seneca in flight model and fit out? I have no idea but others have adjudged that it is.  It certainly looked well sculptured to my untrained eye and worthy as a serious third party aircraft fit for purpose in MSFS.  

 

Edited October 16, 20214 yr by Lord Farringdon

15 hours ago, turbomax said:

perhaps this will make you feel really proud of your new airplane, welcome to the Piper airplane owner club:

https://www.piper.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021_Seneca-Single-Sheet_Lo-Res.pdf

https://www.piper.com/model/seneca/

don't forget to ask if they also have a 30% off deal this week, looks just like Carenado's. tell them MSFS sent you:

1999 PIPER SENECA V

Piston Twin Aircraft

$347,000

https://www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/74360081/1999-piper-seneca-v-piston-twin-aircraft

That's a nice one! Seems to be in good condition.

https://aerocorner.com/aircraft/piper-seminole/

20 hours ago, DAD said:

with the current sale on marketplace, I would like to jump into one of Carenados twin props. any recommendations for either the Seneca or Seminole? Would go with the Seneca but wondering how much the windscreen anti-ice may bother me during flight. OTH the Seminole has a worse rating. well...

Seneca - It's brilliant.  They did a great job of it.

Jase

Like it too the Seneca. Just still getting to learn how to use the aircraft systems. Noticed the RDY indicator too when trying to set the AP. Did not want to follow NAV yet. And yes, I did not RTFM yet. 
 

PS I did it again. Open the window during flight. Wanted to hear the engines 🙂. At some 600feet and maybe 80kts. Still crashed. Is this what would happen IRL?

10 minutes ago, DAD said:

PS I did it again. Open the window during flight. Wanted to hear the engines 🙂. At some 600feet and maybe 80kts. Still crashed. Is this what would happen IRL?

Uhhh, Nope. 

15 minutes ago, DAD said:

 
 

PS I did it again. Open the window during flight. Wanted to hear the engines 🙂. At some 600feet and maybe 80kts. Still crashed. Is this what would happen IRL?

 Clean stall speed for Seneca V is 67 kts. So, maybe you just left the window open too long and breathed in a few too many exhaust fumes 🤣.

Terry

3 hours ago, DAD said:

Open the window during flight. Wanted to hear the engines 🙂. At some 600feet and maybe 80kts. Still crashed. Is this what would happen IRL?

Nope, not at all. In real life there is no way it would cause any sort of crash at pretty much any speed if you opened it in flight because it is in line with the airflow when open if you are flying straight. It is called the Direct Vision window (sometimes called the Direct View panel). As the name implies, it is intended to allow some ability to see out if the normal forward view becomes obscured for any reason, for example a bird strike with a shattered forward window, or to equalise pressure/temp/humidity if you get mist or condensation. In an emergency, it can be used to vent smoke from the cockpit because it is usually designed suck air from the cockpit with a venturi effect. You won't see much from it if your forward view is obscured, but it is better than nothing and you can sort of peer out of it without getting blasted too much by the airflow, although in a Seneca the engines won't exactly help with the view.

On real aeroplanes you can sort of use a DV panel as an emergency turn and slip indicator if you are desperate; the sound the airflow makes from it if you are slipping in a turn changes noticeably on most aeroplanes because is one of the airframe components which generates a lot of airflow noise in a sideslip when it is open. If you were really familiar with its sounds at various speeds, you could I suppose use it as a rough guide to your airspeed if your engines and instruments failed, because the sound it makes changes in volume at different speeds.

The other purpose of it, not when airborne, is to allow you to pass paperwork to or from someone on the ground, such as a despatcher or fueler prior to departing.

Edited October 16, 20214 yr by Chock

1 hour ago, Chock said:

to pass paperwork to or from someone on the ground

best enjoyed with engines running. ooops, there flies your paperwork.

Edited October 16, 20214 yr by turbomax

I almost bought the Seneca but decided to hold off because I'd have three twins that are about the same speed.  (Baron, DA62, Seneca).  It does seem appealing for the analogue gauges though.

I just purchased the seminole. My bad, twice.  First for buying a carenado product and maybe secondly for buying it from the marketplace.  The autopliot altitude hold does not work.  I must admit it is a beautiful airplane, but I moved it to my hangar.

Jean-Jacques

1 hour ago, Jayjay said:

I just purchased the seminole. My bad, twice.  First for buying a carenado product and maybe secondly for buying it from the marketplace.  The autopliot altitude hold does not work.  I must admit it is a beautiful airplane, but I moved it to my hangar.

Jean-Jacques

Autopilot hold should work fine. Are you turning it on with the toggle switch on the panel and setting HDG, Nav   or ALT?

Edited October 16, 20214 yr by Bobsk8

1 hour ago, Bobsk8 said:

Autopilot hold should work fine. Are you turning it on with the toggle switch on the panel and setting HDG, Nav   or ALT?

Yes.  It is very twitchy when I launch the Seminole after having used another plane.  I'll reinstall it to-morrow for another try because I like the steam gauges.

Jean-Jacques

11 minutes ago, Jayjay said:

Yes.  It is very twitchy when I launch the Seminole after having used another plane.  I'll reinstall it to-morrow for another try because I like the steam gauges.

Jean-Jacques

It's not twitchy at all, in fact the autopilot is the best I have tried in MSFS. The only thing I dialed down is the rudder sens to -70 

Edited October 16, 20214 yr by Bobsk8