Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 5:42 pmWhen I use FSX, I usually fly light piston twins. Carendo's Seneca, the MilViz C310 and Real Air's Beech Duke see the most use out of my virtual hanger. This engine configuration preference eventually led to me searching around for a decent Piper Navajo to load into my sim, although nothing has been produced in recent years anywhere close to today's payware standards. This is how I came across Flysimware's Cessna 402C Buisnessliner- considered a rival to the PA31 in the real world with the clean looking simulated version released for both FSX and P3D in Feb this year.
First impressions- the proportions don't quite seem right. Not a fault of the developer, more a reflection on the Cessna design. As with many others from the manufacturer, the C402 originated from a precessing smaller base, in this case the C411 eight seater airframe, and was elongated into a quick change freight/corporate 10 place machine over a 12 year time frame. The external model with the HD repaint still look appealing though. I choose the white and blue N reg scheme to snap some exterior screenshots of on this test flight from NZDN to NZGM, reflecting the mid winter environmental colours over the Southern Alps. Framerates on both outside and in were great in my middle of the range system, although the textures inside the VC don't appear as crisp and refined as the likes of the other payware aircraft I mentioned above.
Two 325hp turbocharged IO-520's carry the aeroplane through the sky, reportedly thought to be underpowered for the size of the aircraft. The cabin doesn't have the ability to pressurize either- a money saving trade off that was meant to make the 402 cheaper to purchase and operate than it's competition.
Takeoff roll at max weight is approximately 670m, and landing distance is 760m, both calculated with nil wind in ISA conditions. Cruise speed at 28"/2600 RPM is 180mph / 157 knots with a range of 1273 miles according to the developer.
I'll let the screenshots to the talking. If you're like me, it's scrolling through snaps like these that make me decide whether or not to shell out for FS addons. Hopefully the following big pictures do the product justice:
All the panel gauges and switches are functional bar the weather radar screen. The Flysimware website states 'future updates might bring this to life'.
Checklists for all phases of flight are included on the FSX kneeboard- something I found handy after flooding the engines and having the righthand prop stop on my first takeoff roll. Turns out the TCIO520 doesn't require fuel pumps on high pressure mode unlike it's smaller siblings, and the flooding failure has been deliberately included by the developer!
The standard Cessna 800 Navomatic autopilot is found on the lower centre console, with the control selectors placed on the lower right of the main panel six pack.
A Garmin G530 GPS receiver is included on the panel, and popped up with the shift+3 key combination. This includes a functioning VNAV page, allowing top of descent calculations on the fly which is neat. However, once popped up, the GPS screen takes up well over half the display on my screen and unlike most sub panels that allow for cursor click and drag rescaling, the Flysimware screen would only allow me to change the width of the GPS but not its height. NAV1 and COM1 are linked to the 530.
I was unable to change the fuel selectors from their preloaded straight up/down setting. The FSW website states: New feature that allows the "fuel valve always on" incase you save a default flight with the valve off.
The front upper quarter viewpoints definitely make the aircraft look its best from spot view.
Although the back quarter is growing on me..
Misc captures over the snow.
The rear cabin internal textures lack in dimensional depth to my eye.
Breaking visual and circling to land at Greymouth.
It would be good to see some kiwi repaints made for this model, with ZK-VAD from Ridge Air a being a fairly simple white scheme.
Check out the official product website for more information here, or head over to SimMarket if you wish to swap $41.30 NZD for the 101MB download.
First impressions- the proportions don't quite seem right. Not a fault of the developer, more a reflection on the Cessna design. As with many others from the manufacturer, the C402 originated from a precessing smaller base, in this case the C411 eight seater airframe, and was elongated into a quick change freight/corporate 10 place machine over a 12 year time frame. The external model with the HD repaint still look appealing though. I choose the white and blue N reg scheme to snap some exterior screenshots of on this test flight from NZDN to NZGM, reflecting the mid winter environmental colours over the Southern Alps. Framerates on both outside and in were great in my middle of the range system, although the textures inside the VC don't appear as crisp and refined as the likes of the other payware aircraft I mentioned above.
Two 325hp turbocharged IO-520's carry the aeroplane through the sky, reportedly thought to be underpowered for the size of the aircraft. The cabin doesn't have the ability to pressurize either- a money saving trade off that was meant to make the 402 cheaper to purchase and operate than it's competition.
Takeoff roll at max weight is approximately 670m, and landing distance is 760m, both calculated with nil wind in ISA conditions. Cruise speed at 28"/2600 RPM is 180mph / 157 knots with a range of 1273 miles according to the developer.
I'll let the screenshots to the talking. If you're like me, it's scrolling through snaps like these that make me decide whether or not to shell out for FS addons. Hopefully the following big pictures do the product justice:
All the panel gauges and switches are functional bar the weather radar screen. The Flysimware website states 'future updates might bring this to life'.
Checklists for all phases of flight are included on the FSX kneeboard- something I found handy after flooding the engines and having the righthand prop stop on my first takeoff roll. Turns out the TCIO520 doesn't require fuel pumps on high pressure mode unlike it's smaller siblings, and the flooding failure has been deliberately included by the developer!
The standard Cessna 800 Navomatic autopilot is found on the lower centre console, with the control selectors placed on the lower right of the main panel six pack.
A Garmin G530 GPS receiver is included on the panel, and popped up with the shift+3 key combination. This includes a functioning VNAV page, allowing top of descent calculations on the fly which is neat. However, once popped up, the GPS screen takes up well over half the display on my screen and unlike most sub panels that allow for cursor click and drag rescaling, the Flysimware screen would only allow me to change the width of the GPS but not its height. NAV1 and COM1 are linked to the 530.
I was unable to change the fuel selectors from their preloaded straight up/down setting. The FSW website states: New feature that allows the "fuel valve always on" incase you save a default flight with the valve off.
The front upper quarter viewpoints definitely make the aircraft look its best from spot view.
Although the back quarter is growing on me..
Misc captures over the snow.
The rear cabin internal textures lack in dimensional depth to my eye.
Breaking visual and circling to land at Greymouth.
It would be good to see some kiwi repaints made for this model, with ZK-VAD from Ridge Air a being a fairly simple white scheme.
Check out the official product website for more information here, or head over to SimMarket if you wish to swap $41.30 NZD for the 101MB download.
Ideal for Greymouth or ripping around this part off the country, I guess I have to go back to my AN2 ... hang on .. I do not have that installed yet ..
TBH, the screenies FlySimware use to promote the model aren't as flattering as yours.