msfs Carenado Archer Mini Review

[ryanbatc 12,859]

I was hesitant at first to pick this addon up, but for 20 bucks this thing is a steal.  I cut my teeth on a Piper very similar to this about 20 years ago - learning to fly out of Flying Cloud, MN (KFCM).  It was right before Sept 11th - and that happened and I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to pursue a career as a pilot.  I ended up flying some at FCM and then when I got to college I started flying to get my PPL in a Warrior III (which looks very similar to the Carenado Arrow III cockpit but with fixed pitch prop and fixed gear).  I will do a mini review of the Arrow but I am awaiting a Carenado update for better avionics and flight model refinements.

Anyway so I flew a few hours in a piper like this one (160hp).  I earned my PPL ASEL in a Warrior III (160hp) while in college.  After college I also flew an Archer II (180hp) exactly like this one for a few hours as well.  I guess I've been a low wing flyer for most of my adult life.  I have a handful of hours in basic cessnas, and then of course many recent more hours in the Beech Musketeer (fixed pitch prop/fixed gear/200hp).  The Musketeer is a little less forgiving than the hershey bar trainer the Warrior/Archer is.  Anyway enough rambling - but I did want to explain my history with low wings and that if you don't like to read a bunch - well just get the Archer from Carenado!  

Previously I thought the FSW C414 to be the finest texturing in a general aviation addon.  I would say Carenado has claimed the throne once again with this Archer.  The model and texturing is exquisite.  The textures are crisp and clear.  The day I bought it I went into VR and it felt like my first flight all over again.  The sounds...  oh the exterior sounds are spot on - they nailed em.  The handling, the wimpy stall horn, just like I remember.  The power on and off stalls.... just really a mush in the warrior and archer - Carenado seems to have replicated this.  Recovery is really simple , just full power, relax the pressure on the yoke to offload the wing, carefully retract a notch of flaps or two.  And of course don't use ailerons if a wing dips (you don't typically see that in the warrior, maybe a little more in the archer)... use rudder to keep the aircraft in coordinated flight.  I've found the C172 to break a bit more aggressively during stall practice.  Still fun though.  

This bird comes with the typical WT GNS430, the PMS GTN750 or TDS GTN 750Xi.  I did not test the PMS or use the GNS430 too much but the LPV GP (or any rnav approach with vertical guidance) works on the TDS for certain.  There is no autopilot.  Which I believe is totally reasonable and irl I never had one.  However in the sim I would love to see a simple 2 axis (or even though I'm not a huge fan, the default KAP140).  I have seen nicer Archers and Dakotas with AP's irl.  It's nice for the those longer hauls in the sim at the very least.  Also just a preference I'd love to see a GTN 650/650Xi as an option - standalone.  It would be more common to use a 430 or 650 in this plane imo.  (Then again I've seen a C152 irl with a GTN 750!)  There is instrument backlighting although it is a touch dim, and there is a red dome light as well (and a white cabin light).  You can definitely fly IFR but of course there is no icing protection (aside from required pitot heat).  I do not see an option to exclude the GNS430W (in other words no way to fly only with classic radios).  Also, an unfortunate first, I do not see any POH/perf charts in the install directory.  Maybe they forgot?  I had to dig some of my old stuff out.  I do find it to hit perf numbers pretty well.  There does seem to still be some odd Asobo mixture/leaning bug....  I just feel in the sim you have to lean out soooo much to do a basic best power config.  Maybe Asobo will work on this as we progress.

Landing feels great to me and don't forget to transition your eyes down the runway as you're 5-10 ft above the ground and hold the nose off just a little.  Depending on weight I found 60-70 kias to be a good final approach speed with full flaps... and then touchdown maybe around 50?  When I was in college (and a lot lighter!) I once calculated my Vso to be 38 kias!  I was super thin and the plane wasn't full of fuel...  anyway crazy times hehe!

You know, around here opinions are a dime a dozen - but for 20 USD... it's a great addon.  You won't get A2A quality (we need that Comanche stat!), but you're getting stellar textures/modelling, great sounds, flight model and a nice avionics selection at a fair price.

Unlike my usual Point A to B flight I've just selected some shots from a variety of flights...  two of the paints aren't in the default install - I did a color swap for N8068C and there's a Tim-HH one as well in there.  I may have heard a rumor that Tim is getting back into painting 😉

1 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

2 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

3 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

All the registrations are dynamic so you can add whatever - this one and the red one have callsigns on the wing top and bottom (not appropriate in USA unless pipeline or skydiving but works elsewhere afaik)

4 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

5 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

The WT GNS430W looks right at home here - the warrior I flew had a KLN90B and then later in my training we got the Garmin 430W.  The interior just looks freaking great!

6 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I looked at the Mooney and this is a LOT higher texture quality.  I think I spent almost double on the M20R when it was first released.

7 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I wouldn't have minded some more modern schemes (help Tim!) but it's okay as the Archer is pretty old school

8 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

9 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

10 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

11 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

12 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I just love this pic for some reason

13 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

Day/Night IFR/VFR equipped 

14 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

15 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

16 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

17 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

Short final in Duluth - see the yellow circles on either side of the runway?  Those mark the location the barrier cable - which retracts and extends above the runway when needed.  It's for the F16's based there that have a tail hook in case of emergency.   They grab the cable just like on a carrier.

18 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

[Alaska738 8,412]

Great shots! 😉 

[PilotPete99 915]

3 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

I was hesitant at first to pick this addon up, but for 20 bucks this thing is a steal.  I cut my teeth on a Piper very similar to this about 20 years ago - learning to fly out of Flying Cloud, MN (KFCM).  It was right before Sept 11th - and that happened and I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to pursue a career as a pilot.  I ended up flying some at FCM and then when I got to college I started flying to get my PPL in a Warrior III (which looks very similar to the Carenado Arrow III cockpit but with fixed pitch prop and fixed gear).  I will do a mini review of the Arrow but I am awaiting a Carenado update for better avionics and flight model refinements.

Anyway so I flew a few hours in a piper like this one (160hp).  I earned my PPL ASEL in a Warrior III (160hp) while in college.  After college I also flew an Archer II (180hp) exactly like this one for a few hours as well.  I guess I've been a low wing flyer for most of my adult life.  I have a handful of hours in basic cessnas, and then of course many recent more hours in the Beech Musketeer (fixed pitch prop/fixed gear/200hp).  The Musketeer is a little less forgiving than the hershey bar trainer the Warrior/Archer is.  Anyway enough rambling - but I did want to explain my history with low wings and that if you don't like to read a bunch - well just get the Archer from Carenado!  

Previously I thought the FSW C414 to be the finest texturing in a general aviation addon.  I would say Carenado has claimed the throne once again with this Archer.  The model and texturing is exquisite.  The textures are crisp and clear.  The day I bought it I went into VR and it felt like my first flight all over again.  The sounds...  oh the exterior sounds are spot on - they nailed em.  The handling, the wimpy stall horn, just like I remember.  The power on and off stalls.... just really a mush in the warrior and archer - Carenado seems to have replicated this.  Recovery is really simple , just full power, relax the pressure on the yoke to offload the wing, carefully retract a notch of flaps or two.  And of course don't use ailerons if a wing dips (you don't typically see that in the warrior, maybe a little more in the archer)... use rudder to keep the aircraft in coordinated flight.  I've found the C172 to break a bit more aggressively during stall practice.  Still fun though.  

This bird comes with the typical WT GNS430, the PMS GTN750 or TDS GTN 750Xi.  I did not test the PMS or use the GNS430 too much but the LPV GP (or any rnav approach with vertical guidance) works on the TDS for certain.  There is no autopilot.  Which I believe is totally reasonable and irl I never had one.  However in the sim I would love to see a simple 2 axis (or even though I'm not a huge fan, the default KAP140).  I have seen nicer Archers and Dakotas with AP's irl.  It's nice for the those longer hauls in the sim at the very least.  Also just a preference I'd love to see a GTN 650/650Xi as an option - standalone.  It would be more common to use a 430 or 650 in this plane imo.  (Then again I've seen a C152 irl with a GTN 750!)  There is instrument backlighting although it is a touch dim, and there is a red dome light as well (and a white cabin light).  You can definitely fly IFR but of course there is no icing protection (aside from required pitot heat).  I do not see an option to exclude the GNS430W (in other words no way to fly only with classic radios).  Also, an unfortunate first, I do not see any POH/perf charts in the install directory.  Maybe they forgot?  I had to dig some of my old stuff out.  I do find it to hit perf numbers pretty well.  There does seem to still be some odd Asobo mixture/leaning bug....  I just feel in the sim you have to lean out soooo much to do a basic best power config.  Maybe Asobo will work on this as we progress.

Landing feels great to me and don't forget to transition your eyes down the runway as you're 5-10 ft above the ground and hold the nose off just a little.  Depending on weight I found 60-70 kias to be a good final approach speed with full flaps... and then touchdown maybe around 50?  When I was in college (and a lot lighter!) I once calculated my Vso to be 38 kias!  I was super thin and the plane wasn't full of fuel...  anyway crazy times hehe!

You know, around here opinions are a dime a dozen - but for 20 USD... it's a great addon.  You won't get A2A quality (we need that Comanche stat!), but you're getting stellar textures/modelling, great sounds, flight model and a nice avionics selection at a fair price.

Unlike my usual Point A to B flight I've just selected some shots from a variety of flights...  two of the paints aren't in the default install - I did a color swap for N8068C and there's a Tim-HH one as well in there.  I may have heard a rumor that Tim is getting back into painting 😉

1 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

2 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

3 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

All the registrations are dynamic so you can add whatever - this one and the red one have callsigns on the wing top and bottom (not appropriate in USA unless pipeline or skydiving but works elsewhere afaik)

4 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

5 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

The WT GNS430W looks right at home here - the warrior I flew had a KLN90B and then later in my training we got the Garmin 430W.  The interior just looks freaking great!

6 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I looked at the Mooney and this is a LOT higher texture quality.  I think I spent almost double on the M20R when it was first released.

7 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I wouldn't have minded some more modern schemes (help Tim!) but it's okay as the Archer is pretty old school

8 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

9 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

10 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

11 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

12 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I just love this pic for some reason

13 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

Day/Night IFR/VFR equipped 

14 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

15 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

16 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

17 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

Short final in Duluth - see the yellow circles on either side of the runway?  Those mark the location the barrier cable - which retracts and extends above the runway when needed.  It's for the F16's based there that have a tail hook in case of emergency.   They grab the cable just like on a carrier.

18 by Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr

I trained on the Warrior and Archer at Schaumburg Airport just outside of Chicago, and was almost ready for my check ride when September 11th happened. I had to spend some more hours because we were grounded for some time. Fortunately I got my ticket in November of 2001.

Cheers, Pete

 

 

 

 

[AJZip 251]

Nice review - and, in my opinion, an excellent rendition by Carenado

[ikbenik 793]

Great composition of nice screenies with a fine description and review.

[Jack_Sawyer 4,600]

Nice shots Ryan.

[jankees 2,064]

looks real good!

[efis007 885]

Nice shots 👍

[SP2472 2,303]

Excellent pictorial and review Ryan.

Darryl

[Phantom88 3,287]

Fantastic review and personal story,Thanks Ryan.

[jim007 48]

a really interesting narrative Ryan ! Many thanks for all these details and return to experience ... and of course for the splendid pictures ... Going to look for this new Carenado's Piper for sure  🙂

[bvdboomen 258]

The cockpit indeed looks "freaking" great. 🙂
You can grab all the knobs, handles, etc. right of the screen.