Some news from the Carenado Horses mouth.

A punter aske directly about the situation re PREP3D.

In short Carenado have stopped supporting P3D after V4.3

Which asks the question about PMDG. It is common knowlege that PMDG have ceased support. As aresult OC2-3 no longer work.

Looks like the writing is on the wall.

18 hours ago, whisky said:

Some news from the Carenado Horses mouth.

A punter aske directly about the situation re PREP3D.

In short Carenado have stopped supporting P3D after V4.3

Which asks the question about PMDG. It is common knowlege that PMDG have ceased support. As aresult OC2-3 no longer work.

Looks like the writing is on the wall.

Well, yeah...

Nothing's changed in that regard re: Carenado, and in my experience their general support staff have shown mostly they have very little knowledge of what they sell and you'd be lucky to have them resolve simple licensing, general installation issues, or even be able to respond coherently to pre-purchase questions.

Carenado playbook would be to typically release a new plane, do a few fixes over the release period, hopefully resolving some/most release discovered issues and then move on to their next release schedule, never to touch the aircraft again.

That's why there are many mods for Carenado aircraft... to resolve and fix issues they themselves have moved on from, and in many cases these mods turn the aircraft from poor, into quite nice to fly pieces of programming.

And having worked on some of those mods myself, I can say they reuse code a lot and manage to stuff up variable naming schemas quite well. I don't know how they are doing with MS2020-24 but if they are sticking to their original playbook, their aircraft will look good, have reasonable functionality but will be broken in many and often unfixable ways, basically fluff aircraft for the best profit with least amount of development work.

In fairness they never advertise as having the level of functional as say A2A or any of the tubeliner devs, but they do take nice pics ;-)

Below are a couple of links relating to community effort to resolve shortcomings with the Carenado PC12, quite nice once mods are applied.

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/621885-pc12-fully-loaded/

https://youtu.be/yFnb93IbJk8 

Cheers

On 8/23/2026 at 3:01 PM, whisky said:

Thanks Rogen, This product is released as being Navigraph compatable. It isn't, instead they released a patch, which doesn't work.

It downloads with 2 versions, Navigraph compatable and non compatable. I don't understand why they would have 2 versions.

The Saab 340 is close to study level and is a dream to fly. Let's know how you go.

Cheers

Hi Whisky,

Well gave it a fly and all seemed Ok to me.

I was able to start both engines manually and via the automation startup window buttons.

And it flew and landed fine.

Of note this was in P3D v4.5 (very heavily customised including extensive shader customisation) which is running in Windows10.

If you're running on Windows 11 be sure to keep 11 up to date, as in reality Win11 is a big piece of junk being constantly broken and sort of half fixed, with MS's AI doing major amounts of programming (using many many tokens) and breaking lots of compatibility... Organisations hate the level of breakage Win11 brings with it and most opt for Windows 10 with paid updates instead of Win11), maybe one day Win11 will eventually be mostly resolved, or MS will move onto something else.

But be aware..!

Steam OS likely has better Windows compatibility than Windows 11 itself.

Cheers

18 hours ago, Rogen said:

Hi Whisky,

Well gave it a fly and all seemed Ok to me.

I was able to start both engines manually and via the automation startup window buttons.

And it flew and landed fine.

Of note this was in P3D v4.5 (very heavily customised including extensive shader customisation) which is running in Windows10.

If you're running on Windows 11 be sure to keep 11 up to date, as in reality Win11 is a big piece of junk being constantly broken and sort of half fixed, with MS's AI doing major amounts of programming (using many many tokens) and breaking lots of compatibility... Organisations hate the level of breakage Win11 brings with it and most opt for Windows 10 with paid updates instead of Win11), maybe one day Win11 will eventually be mostly resolved, or MS will move onto something else.

But be aware..!

Steam OS likely has better Windows compatibility than Windows 11 itself.

Cheers

Hi Rogen,

My Prep3d is v 5.? Could this be the deal breaker? Fast running out of option. I have load Xplane 12. Carenado and PMDG have both stopped support there as well. I tried MFSM, look more like an arcade game. Some goose sent a message, could he join in :"My game?"

Says it all. Prep3d has served me well in the past linked with Navigraf and Active Skye, and Orbx scenery of coarse. But the writing is on the wall.

Windows 11? I wish there was an eazy way to roll back to W10, maybe there is but I can't find it.

Happy days Rogen,

Cheers

4 hours ago, whisky said:

Hi Rogen,

My Prep3d is v 5.? Could this be the deal breaker? Fast running out of option. I have load Xplane 12. Carenado and PMDG have both stopped support there as well. I tried MFSM, look more like an arcade game. Some goose sent a message, could he join in :"My game?"

Says it all. Prep3d has served me well in the past linked with Navigraf and Active Skye, and Orbx scenery of coarse. But the writing is on the wall.

Hi Whisky,

I doubt it will be a P3D v5 problem.... The majority of the aircraft I have I do function just fine in P3D v5, issues tend to be things like effects files, transparency issues, PBR and scenery excludes.

I do have P3D v5.3 installed, however I'm in the middle of a drive space reorg atm and haven't as yet relinked most of what I've setup in P3D v4.5 back into P3D v5.3.

I've got a busy week (and weekend) ahead of me, but what I'll do is fast track P3D v5.3's reorg to the point of targeting the SAAB for flying (this take me probably to next weekend) and we'll see how it all goes.

Of point, a few things I always do when installing P3D.

1), I never install P3D to "Program Files", Windows applies a "Trust" regime to the "Program Files" path to lock it down and prevent changes once installed, a better option for P3D is to create a folder path outside of "Program Files", for example I have my P3D sims installed into "H:\Lockheed Martin\" where my file system security rights allow "Authenticated Users" - Modify, the rest of P3D is spread across 5 additional drives including a ramdrive, an SSD raid array and a NAS drive (for automatic backup), hence why a reorg takes planning and implementation time.

2), If you've OneDrive sync enabled for the Windows "Documents" folder, best to disable the sync as P3D does set up a default "Documents" path for addins, meaning you'd be syncing potentially large amounts of data up to MS's cloud storage (assuming you've more than the default miserable storage allowance MS supplies). You can avoid using the Dcuments path for Addins with custom configuration in P3D, but that's beyond this scope.

3) Disable all the unnecessary Windows 11 junk MS configures, but I'm not going to go into that further here because it's a real can of worms.

Like it or not MS has captured the consumer level Flight Sim with MSFS and yes P3D was the enthusiast level sim until LM dropped the ball so to speak, although XPlane is shaping up nicely as the front row standin, still neither base sim can compete with the streaming scenery of MSFS and while Blackshark.ai and MAXAR satellite imagery is available for P3D via FUZE... the cost is not anywhere near consumer level and in reality MSFS and it's streaming scenery is a real bargain... hopefully MS doesn't decide to pull the plug so to speak.

A look at some P3D commercial offerings... https://milvizusa.com/aircraft/

And to cap off, here is a pic in the Freebee MilViz DHC2 in P3D v5.3 chock full of mods, flying over Melb airport looking towards Melb city.

Cheers

https://images.steamusercontent.com/ugc/2488892323034632298/BEB18E4154B99A31F66289BA7D6D64DA043951CA/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

Edited August 27Aug 27 by Rogen
embeded link

12 hours ago, whisky said:

My Prep3d is v 5.? Could this be the deal breaker?

I'm pretty sure it isn't. The issue you describe is most likely not related to P3Dv5 and would have happened in P3Dv4 as well I guess.

12 hours ago, whisky said:

Fast running out of option. I have load Xplane 12. Carenado and PMDG have both stopped support there as well.

PMDG tried to invest into the XP11 market but had already left before XP12 appeared, if I remember correctly. I believe it was similar for Carenado.

XP11 appeared as a promising market for some FSX/P3D historical addon makers (OrbX for example). It was a time when XP11 was progressing fast while P3D was slowly starting to die. But the XP11 market turned out not to be as promising as it looked, in terms of sales volumes, I guess... And the release of MSFS later on was a final blow.

12 hours ago, whisky said:

I tried MFSM, look more like an arcade game. Some goose sent a message, could he join in :"My game?"

Says it all.

You're not going to progress much if you keep with such simplistic logic. The "MSFS looks good so it's an arcade game" slogan has already been out-fashioned since quite a few years. Or do you think PMDG produces arcade addons ? If so, why do you complain about not being able to use your PMDG addons in P3D ?

12 hours ago, whisky said:

Prep3d has served me well in the past linked with Navigraf and Active Skye, and Orbx scenery of coarse. But the writing is on the wall.

I'm not so familiar with PMDG but from what I have read, the ended support will not prevent anybody from using the addons they had bought in the past. Same goes for OrbX or any of the other addon makers. P3Dv4, v5 and v6 will probably continue to work for the years to come. It's just the existence of a P3Dv7 which is severely challenged...

12 hours ago, whisky said:

Windows 11? I wish there was an eazy way to roll back to W10, maybe there is but I can't find it.

I guess your mileage might vary, but I have Windows 10 on my fixed computer and Windows 11 on my laptop, and I can hardly find or feel any differences between the two.... My next computer will have Windows11, and I don't think there would be anything from Windows10 that I would miss ?

On 8/28/2026 at 5:37 PM, Daube said:

I'm pretty sure it isn't. The issue you describe is most likely not related to P3Dv5 and would have happened in P3Dv4 as well I guess.

PMDG tried to invest into the XP11 market but had already left before XP12 appeared, if I remember correctly. I believe it was similar for Carenado.

XP11 appeared as a promising market for some FSX/P3D historical addon makers (OrbX for example). It was a time when XP11 was progressing fast while P3D was slowly starting to die. But the XP11 market turned out not to be as promising as it looked, in terms of sales volumes, I guess... And the release of MSFS later on was a final blow.

You're not going to progress much if you keep with such simplistic logic. The "MSFS looks good so it's an arcade game" slogan has already been out-fashioned since quite a few years. Or do you think PMDG produces arcade addons ? If so, why do you complain about not being able to use your PMDG addons in P3D ?

I'm not so familiar with PMDG but from what I have read, the ended support will not prevent anybody from using the addons they had bought in the past. Same goes for OrbX or any of the other addon makers. P3Dv4, v5 and v6 will probably continue to work for the years to come. It's just the existence of a P3Dv7 which is severely challenged...

I guess your mileage might vary, but I have Windows 10 on my fixed computer and Windows 11 on my laptop, and I can hardly find or feel any differences between the two.... My next computer will have Windows11, and I don't think there would be anything from Windows10 that I would miss ?

Or do you think PMDG produces arcade addons ? If so, why do you complain about not being able to use your PMDG addons in P3D ? I did not make such a complaint. in my opinion I think P3D and Orbx is better than most.

On 8/28/2026 at 5:17 AM, whisky said:

Hi Rogen,

My Prep3d is v 5.? Could this be the deal breaker?

<SNIP>

Cheers

Well I performed additional repathing for P3D v5.3 and got it up and running enough to copy the Carenado SAAB 340 over, this being the same SAAB 340 as was tested as running fine in P3Dv4.5.

Positioned @ Tamworth Airport NSW Aust and both auto started the engines and manually started the engines successfully, took off and flew around a bit testing various aspects and all good, no drama at all.

Again I'm running in Windows 10 with quite heavily customised P3D installs beyond just running Addon installers.

I've been thinking of Linux of late, with a Proton layer (from Steam... to provide a layer of Windows compatibility), just for giggles to see if it's possible to move on from Windows in a usable way, I've heard compatibility is high given Steam uses it for running Windows games on their Steam deck...

Anyway let's see if this new forum software picture paste functions are working, they used to work, then stopped working when I last tried to post a pic... maybe all good now ? (and yes 😁 all good now).

The Carenado SAAB 340 @ Tamworth AP NSW AU YSTW, about to jump in and test start the engines.

I chose a REX livery because it suits regional Australia and I've flown on many regional REX flights, even before they switched to SAABs, tip always bring ear plugs, those SAABs both vibrate a lot and are very noisy.

Ahh the memories, the screams of passengers in rough air and storms, the near miss ground splats and trees appearing out of nowhere in fog and many go arounds, then the internet got better... and it was cheaper to work remotely.

And here we are after several test startings, both via the auto gauge method and manual starting from the cockpit. Both engines have successfully started in each test instance and are running successfully in the pic.

The next few are where I've taken off and am flying around, just basics atm, once I've restructured the drive pathings fully I'll revisit the SAAB and add my GTN and whatever else I can reconfigure/resolve (Carenado's tend to punch up a lot into P3D's error logs due to the many additional features known as "bugs"), I hope the mods don't mind a few pics, they are hosted on fast Steam Servers so should load pretty quick.

Check the gauges, both engines are still running fine.

The model has PBR in this instance, however there was no great reworking for transparency as can be seen by the windows, a common issue in many aircraft, those pesky devs, always looking to take shortcuts... you know I'd be happy to pay a reasonable update fee, if devs actually did such P3D version updates that is...

Love the gauges popouts, makes it easy to keep things flying when not in the CP, but also pretty good in the CP, as I can slide it to the left and keep good visibility.

Last pic, I've fully completed a turn and am just south of the town of Tamworth, with the Tamworth AP just on the LHS behind my tail.

So all proved that the Carenado SAAB 340 can have its engines either manually started or auto started, personally I'd be looking at something off on your local end and the best way to fix really problematic items is a process of elimination... starting simple with testing default aircraft before moving onto third party, time consuming yes but at times the only way.

Cheers

Edited September 11Sep 11 by Rogen
fixed a few bits

On 8/5/2026 at 4:28 AM, whisky said:

The plot thickens. Tried CTRL E on the Alabao 404. Mixture lever moves to full rich, then as engine starts, mixture goes to cutoff.

Also weird that PMDG planes are the only ones I can fly.

On 9/11/2026 at 11:17 AM, Rogen said:

Well I performed additional repathing for P3D v5.3 and got it up and running enough to copy the Carenado SAAB 340 over, this being the same SAAB 340 as was tested as running fine in P3Dv4.5.

Positioned @ Tamworth Airport NSW Aust and both auto started the engines and manually started the engines successfully, took off and flew around a bit testing various aspects and all good, no drama at all.

Again I'm running in Windows 10 with quite heavily customised P3D installs beyond just running Addon installers.

I've been thinking of Linux of late, with a Proton layer (from Steam... to provide a layer of Windows compatibility), just for giggles to see if it's possible to move on from Windows in a usable way, I've heard compatibility is high given Steam uses it for running Windows games on their Steam deck...

Anyway let's see if this new forum software picture paste functions are working, they used to work, then stopped working when I last tried to post a pic... maybe all good now ? (and yes 😁 all good now).

The Carenado SAAB 340 @ Tamworth AP NSW AU YSTW, about to jump in and test start the engines.

I chose a REX livery because it suits regional Australia and I've flown on many regional REX flights, even before they switched to SAABs, tip always bring ear plugs, those SAABs both vibrate a lot and are very noisy.

Ahh the memories, the screams of passengers in rough air and storms, the near miss ground splats and trees appearing out of nowhere in fog and many go arounds, then the internet got better... and it was cheaper to work remotely.

And here we are after several test startings, both via the auto gauge method and manual starting from the cockpit. Both engines have successfully started in each test instance and are running successfully in the pic.

The next few are where I've taken off and am flying around, just basics atm, once I've restructured the drive pathings fully I'll revisit the SAAB and add my GTN and whatever else I can reconfigure/resolve (Carenado's tend to punch up a lot into P3D's error logs due to the many additional features known as "bugs"), I hope the mods don't mind a few pics, they are hosted on fast Steam Servers so should load pretty quick.

Check the gauges, both engines are still running fine.

The model has PBR in this instance, however there was no great reworking for transparency as can be seen by the windows, a common issue in many aircraft, those pesky devs, always looking to take shortcuts... you know I'd be happy to pay a reasonable update fee, if devs actually did such P3D version updates that is...

Love the gauges popouts, makes it easy to keep things flying when not in the CP, but also pretty good in the CP, as I can slide it to the left and keep good visibility.

Last pic, I've fully completed a turn and am just south of the town of Tamworth, with the Tamworth AP just on the LHS behind my tail.

So all proved that the Carenado SAAB 340 can have its engines either manually started or auto started, personally I'd be looking at something off on your local end and the best way to fix really problematic items is a process of elimination... starting simple with testing default aircraft before moving onto third party, time consuming yes but at times the only way.

Cheers

Thanks Rogen,

Pretty much as it was in my setup. It was after a re-instal that the fun started.

I think many on this forum assumed I am a rank beginner. Over the years I have solved many problems but this one just gets me.

It has been 2 months now and the only useable plane I have is PMDG. The Majestic q400 works but won't connect with Simbrief.

My patience has expired and I now am contemplating giving up.

Thanks for your efforts,

6 hours ago, whisky said:

The Majestic q400 works but won't connect with Simbrief

Didn't know the Q400 had Simbrief connection. Unless you're talking about the $20 visual extension pack.

14 hours ago, whisky said:

The plot thickens. Tried CTRL E on the Alabao 404. Mixture lever moves to full rich, then as engine starts, mixture goes to cutoff.

That sounds like the Carenado "copy protection" mechanism that prevents you from using their aircraft unless they have been installed (and activated?) properly. IIRC, it is buried somewhere in the animation code, mixture tied to an LVar that is different for every model. And maybe a DLL that possibly reads a registry key and sets that LVar. I haven't looked into this in a very long time though and don't remember the details. For example in the Saab 340 it would set the mixture of engine 1 to 0 and move the elevator to the full up or full down position).

I know this because of the trouble that this caused in WAMA when one was creating parked aircraft using Carenado models. Once these models loaded into the sim, this animation code triggered - and switched off my own engine.

I'm not 100% sure about the DLL thing, but you should check if all Carenado DLLs are accessible to the aircraft. If you have a program that can read the values of LVars from the sim, use that to check on the variable in question. If you're interested, write a PM to me here on AVSIM, and I will tell you how to find that LVar.

Edited Monday at 09:59 PM1 day by Lorby_SI

Tried to install Alabeo Titan404

Chose wrong install location. P3D exe is gone unable to open program.

Am I faced to total re-install here?

16 hours ago, whisky said:

Tried to install Alabeo Titan404

Chose wrong install location. P3D exe is gone unable to open program.

Am I faced to total re-install here?

What do you mean ?

Wrong install location for the Titan 404 ?

And the Titan 404 installer cannot find P3D ?

Assuming you've got show file extensions enabled in Windows the P3D exe will be named as "Prepar3D.exe"

Or something else ?

I did see this issue/process (below) required when installing Carenado aircraft to P3D v5.

Cheers

22 minutes ago, Rogen said:

What do you mean ?

Wrong install location for the Titan 404 ?

And the Titan 404 installer cannot find P3D ?

Assuming you've got show file extensions enabled in Windows the P3D exe will be named as "Prepar3D.exe"

Or something else ?

I did see this issue/process (below) required when installing Carenado aircraft to P3D v5.

Cheers

I installed the Titan over the P3D .exe and obliterated it. I ran P3D install over it but didn't work,

The Ctitan.exe is sitting where the P3D should be. I "Uninstalled" that before re-installing P3D.

Cheers