Fabs

kyle and Chris; Apologies where due, rule breaking unintentional, corrections to signature complete. Discourse regarding products was not meant to incite or be disrespectful, just a narrative expressing an opinion. I'm leaving your airspace now, away from your overhead, my business is done. Good luck with your XP venture.

Thank you Tom. And with that, gentlemen, I'll bid you good-day.

Ahem, methinks SOH failure! Yes, very disappointed, I had hoped for the fabled Dash 8 port-over. I do enjoy flying radial engines aeroplanes, DC-2 and DC-3, though my JF DC-6 hasn't seen the light of day for ages. Don't misunderstand me, I have a plethora of aeroplanes in FS2004, FSX, P3D, and XPX. And before that, going back all the way to the mid-1980's with Hercules green on black monochrome. By now, I know what I like. And when I say disappointed, I'm not really, because it still amazes me what we can do on our PC's today, with scenery and aircraft fidelity that is overwhelmingly wonderful. Just in this instance, I'd have liked a different aeroplane from PMDG. Simples really.

Scandinavian, I'm just exercising my freedom of speech, please don't feel obliged to wade in to try to dictate what I can or cannot say, unless you feel that you must. It wouldn't be terribly constructive or a good use of our time. I simply do not believe that every little thing thing that PMDG does is excellent. Much is good, but not all. For instance, their products to date, sublime, their support, first class, but their P3D pricing and their choice of initial XP product I'm not so keen on. So to clarify, it is my opinion that their choice of aeroplane is misguided. Sure, it will be a thing of beauty, but perhaps not for all. Should the DC-6 not generate sufficient interest, PMDG may not invest further in the platform, and XP'ers may ultimately lose out. Scandinavian, what do you say, let's leave it there?

Couldn't remember, knew it was one of those. That might have been a better choice for some.

Err, just like you, I felt the need to have my say so. There's no ruling to say that things cannot be uttered if they've been said before. Still, shows that at least I'm on the right lines. :-) In fact, I'll say it again, I am not convinced about the product choice. XP'ers don't just fly anything, you know!

It sure looks beautiful, but somehow I get the impression that it's a testbed for PMDG to show off their skills to the XP fraternity - look what we can do! The DC-6 looks like a very intimidating and complex beast to tame, and oh-so esoteric and specialist. I hope that it appeals to the XP crowd. As part of that XP crowd, I can't say that it's my cup of tea; I have the Just Flight DC-6, and whilst I am not comparing one to the other, I will suggest that my JF DC-6 has been hangared for years, perhaps due lack of interest, or lack of interest and product sparkle. My question is this: Is this an accurate enough benchmark for PMDG to determine with fair accuracy the actual XP market? It is a very specialist product, with, I might venture, fairly limited appeal. Had PMDG announced that the product that they were porting across from FSX to XP was to be their highly fabled fairy tailed Dash-8 Q400, well then, that would be, as they say, an entirely different story. I'm not nay-saying, as no-one can deny that it looks stupendous, but this product is aimed squarely at radial engine aficionado's. Hope the smoke belching is accurate - here's hoping that PMDG will somehow recreate that sight, sound and, err, smell...

Flap indicator seems to disappear. Text in ARC mode when zooming squashes writing. Lovely aircraft though. Fabio

Seamless so far LIBP-LGMK (cruising midway at FL370; FF757). Those traffic alerts are excellent!

Thanks for the heads-up, I will download and test full version tomorrow.

True, I'd forgotten that! I use the fT Phenom sound package in the Carenado aircraft.

Hi, I just want to set the record straight from my perspective. The Carenado Phenom has received much press, some of it good, and some of it bad. It is a nice aircraft, as it will do what you want it to do, and it is full of eye candy, which makes it a nice place to be. The fT Phenom is an older product, and with that in mind, it is no less accomplished and it is entirely representative of its day, for instance the switches in the VC are less polished than the fT. The fT Phenom has IMO better systems implementation but, like just like the Carenado, it doesn't have them all. Overall, the fT Phenom has fewer functioning buttons and switches than the Carenado Phenom. The G1000's in the Carenado are nicely done, not terribly deeply though, and they are a good match for the fT Phenom whose G1000's are equally good, but with less graphical candy. For instance, there's no weather radar in the fT version, but if you go grab Bryn's excellent freeware wx gauge, then you cans skirt around those troublesome clouds just as well. Where the Carenado lacks lustre considering is in the development department, as the plane itself cannot be responsible for the attitude of the developers who choose to not model certain features despite the heartfelt pleas of their customers. Features such as the Take-Off config button are completely missing, and this is extraordinary IMO because it's practically a trademark of Embraer. The faults within the FLC system are IMO less important, as I have since heard that it's a very hard thing to get right, and all-in-all, it does it's job albeit in a roundabout way (i.e. autothrottle). So, here's my tuppence worth; it's the attitude of the Carenado team that misses the mark, and since our protestations appear futile, to me, this has had a highly negative impact, plus it may have influenced future purchasing decisions. Carenado have chosen to not reach out and meet our expectations, and this is fine as it is their choice - equally, we have a choice too. Let's face it, Carenado are big in the marketplace, and deservedly so, and whilst I'd say that they are up there with the greats, I wouldn't say that they were up there with the greatest. Therefore, if you want a beautifully modelled Enbraer Phenom, go get the Carenado, as it is undeniably gorgeous, flies nicely, and satisfies much appeal. If you'd like to save pennies and FPS, go fly the feelThere Phenom when it is on sale, as it is an excellent aircraft, should you be desperate for a FLC button that does as advertised, or need a T/O Config button. However, the value of these two competitive products must also be considered, as one is a concurrent product, and the other is not. A respected reseller has both priced at the £24 mark, and whilst the Carenado is unlikely to be discounted at this time, the fT can sometimes be found at a reduced price (I got hold of it for £5). Happily, I have both Phenom's, but this has not deepened my dilemma, it's made it easier. So then, allow me to answer an unasked question - I would not have purchased the fT Phenom had it not been discounted and disillusioned. And here's the answer to another silent question - I exclusively fly the Carenado. If you accept the limitations of each and every model, then there can be no issues, and I would go as far as to say that nearly every single aeroplane in our simulated world has shortcomings of some sort - it's the nature of the game. If you want perfection, go fly for real, and even then I bet that you'd find fault with something, and that, my friends, is our human nature at work. So then, enough of this "which is better?", and go-fly the aeroplane of your dreams because here we can. Happy flying. Fabio

Hi, What a fantastic video! It's amongst the very best that I have seen, with a great intro and story to it. The scenery really is good, and the flight, well, what can I say?.... I'd be happy to be a passenger! Best wishes, Fabio

Thanks, but I just want to clarify (as I'm not clear what your Carenado comment mean). The NAV flight path lines and flight plan waypoints in the flight plan list update on the ND of aircraft (GPS) when you add:change flight plans mid flight using Pro-ATCX? This would apply to FSX aircraft, 3rd party ones such as RealAir (Reality XP equipped?), AND Carenado G1000 style aircraft such as the Phenom? If so, that is brilliant, and thanks for pointing it out!

Could you please elaborate on what you mean with respect to Pro-ATCX? Are changes literally shown in the GPS and NAV display? Thanks, Fabio

Having just flown the Phenom for the first time since the SP, I must say that the frames have improved considerably, and that some major as well as more minor issues have been sorted. It was very nice to fly, especially in the beautiful FTX PNW environs in a flight from Bowerman to Orcas. What a nice flight. Carenado, if you're listening, and I suspect that you are, this is a lovely aeroplane, indeed all of your aeroplanes have been very nice, but please quietly in the background start work on a fully-fledged G1000 retrofittable system with upgradeable navigation DB's for existing and future projects (and a better FMC for the B1900 even though I don't have that particular aircraft), and precise systems modelling to match their real world counterparts.

I have many Carenado props, and I still enjoy flying them. I especially enjoy the King Air C90B, as it has always been a favourite RW aircraft of mine, and the FSX model is gorgeous. Maybe it's just about appeal and eye candy, and if so, then that is a mighty trap that Carenado sets. The Phenom saddens me. Whilst I won't stop flying it, simply being in the VC is enough to remind me that it is Carenado's most synthetic to date. It could and should have been different. The story deserves a different ending.

Yes, good point, I was looking for that file too to set some defaults. I think it's called G1000_configEMBP100.XML, and it's in the EMB500_G1000 cabinet file under gauges.

Aye, this little aeroplane, and notably their first jet, could have been great, instead, I fear that it is just another empty facsimile in the Carenado hangar. Let's see, FLC implementation without a stuck on auto-throttle and a full-fat G1000 with updateable NAV DB, would have elevated this aeroplane and Carenado into the major league. Carenado, if you're listening, remember that you'll need to design and program a FLC mode and a G1000 unit just once, and thereafter, as the hard work has been done, you'll only need to tailor these modules into futures designs, and perhaps retrofit into previous models. I think you know the drill - you do the same with your user manuals.

Not a huge list, it must be said, but OK, some key items were addressed.

LOL, had I not posted, it wouldn't have been released tonight!

Carenado released the Phenom on the 3/4/14 and we're still waiting on the SP1. They released their King Air 200 X-Plane on the 15/4/14, and it's just received it's first SP! OK, the SP for the Phenom addresses a new product and not a port-over, and it'll be worth waiting for. Won't it?!.....

Hi, Still at Simviation: altiportsalpesxv2.zip I have FTX Global/Vector and it's fine with those. Do keep me posted, afraid I'm not having much luck even going downhill in a tuck position at Courchevel, but I can get the Phenom easily(ish) in and out of KAVX Catalina (exceptional taster freeware by Sim720; Aerosoft). BTW, Courchevel with Winter textures looks utterly superb. Good luck! Fabio

Hi, I think there's an updated version of the Courchevel scenery floating around (if I find the file, I'll post an update). It's a very testing airportenvironment, and I must confess that my Phenom landing attempt even on a sloping runway was considerably worse than I was hoping for, and I didn't even gather enough airspeed to takeoff downhill either. With that in mind, I wouldn't want to be a pax on my own jet, LOL! Good luck! Fabio

"I created a 5:00 minute video which may add to your review in conveying how much fun this aircraft is to fly. It is a landing attempt I made at Courchevel presented in much the same way as an actual sim flight, for me." Hi, I enjoyed watching your Courchevel video, although I'm not so sure that I'd want to be a passenger in your jet! A while ago, a company used to fly passenger Dash-7's in/out of Courchevel LFLJ, so it shows what can be done, given short field capabilities, which the Phenom possibly hasn't got. I saw that you just manged to run off the end of the runway, but if you install the following brilliantly detailed freeware scenery for LFLJ (it includes other French altiports), you'll have more of a chance because they have sloped runways like their realworld counterparts, and this should give you a fighting chance to stop before the mountain starts! Good Luck, and keep us posted! Fabio File: altiports_alpesxv2.zip (Simviation)