Digital Aviation Piper Cheyenne
From the numerous reviews available on the Internet, it seems that Digital Aviation’s Piper Cheyenne for Flight Simulator 9 (and soon for Flight Simulator X) is fast becoming considered one of (if not the) best general aviation aircraft ever produced for Flight Simulator. Having purchased it over the weekend, I can see why.
The exterior model is quite superb. You could happily spend a great deal of time just examining the aircraft’s external model. The 2D panel is the best I’ve ever seen for FS9, without question. The instruments have a wonderfully realistic appearance to them, operating with great fluidity. The instrumentation is complemented by a Trimble 2000 Approach Plus GPS. This can, with 2 clicks, import a previously prepared flight plan (I used FSNavigator to prepare a plan, then exported it to FS2004, then imported in into the Trimble). Whilst this enables automatic flight, more work is required than using, say, a Garmin GNS430 and this actually makes it more fun. Having only a 2-line text display instead of a colour moving map makes it more of a challenge.
The virtual cockpit is simply stunning. You could easily be mistaken into thinking you were still in the 2D cockpit when you switch over. Start panning around, though, and you’ll see the remainder of the virtual cockpit in all its glory. Almost without exception, if it looks like you should be able to turn a knob, or pull a switch, you can. Look over your should back in to the cabin, click on the table between the seats and watch it retract, complete with the noise of creaking wood. Marvelous stuff.
Both 2D and 3D cockpits are complemented with probably the best night lighting you’ll ever find for FS9. It’s worth taking some night flights just to experience the lighting. It makes for a very atmospheric flight.
The handling of the aircraft in the air is an absolute joy. On my first flight, I used the Trimble to get me close to my destination, then switched off the autopilot for a manual landing. It handles predictably, is very responsive and enabled me to make a perfect (for me!) landing on my first attempt. No nasty last minute surprises here.
With all the detail in this model, you’d be forgiven for expecting it hit FS9’s performance but, amazingly, frame rates and (more importantly), fluidity, is virtually on a par with the default FS9 aircraft. I’m seriously impressed that they’ve managed to achieve this. Many otherwise excellent add-on aircraft are rendered almost unusable because of their negative affect on the performance of the simulator.
You don’t only get one version of the Cheyenne, either. You get the following variations:
- Piper PA31T1 Cheyenne I
- Piper PA31T1 Cheyenne IA
- Piper PA31T Cheyenne II
- Piper PA31T2 Cheyenne II XL
all with a number of different liveries. You even get different models of the pressurisation and autopilot systems depending on which variant of the aircraft model you have loaded. That’s dedication to detail from the developers. On the developers forum, you can downloaded a replacement set of panel.cfg files that allow you to embed Reality XP’s fantastic WX-500 weather radar into the 2D panels of all variants.
I’m only scratching the surface of this extremely polished product here. The fact that it comes with a 180 page manual gives you some idea of the complexity of the modeled aircraft and the care and attention to detail made in producing it. If you’re thinking of ditching FS9 for FSX, I’d say hang on to it for now (you can happily have FS9 and FSX on the same system), buy this add-on and experience the best of the best. It is not yet clear whether the FSX version will be a free upgrade for existing FS9 version owners, but that didn’t stop me parting with my own cash for it.
Avsim have produced a great review of the Piper and is well worth a read.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
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I can’t believe your comments on the performance hit this aircraft takes. I have had this plane for some time. I agree with everything you say except for me, ther is a dramatic performance hit. I get long pauses when I switch views while all the textures load. Nothing I have done has fixed this. DA seems to be not willing or not able to fix this.
Having flown the real cheyenne for a couple of years, this plane is really special to my heart, I get the same feeling, same atmosphere when I fly it it in FS2004, very impressive indeed,
Bravo Digital Aviation..
Philippe Clument
CFIAIM.
I’d love this for FSX, I’m waiting for a quality payware GA twin turboprop to appear, one day hopefully my patience will be rewarded.
Me too. It’s a real beauty in FS9 and I’m sure will be even better if they get it across to FSX.
Mark - FlightSimX
The only I dont like, and thats really not much, its the way the props feather, the props can be feathered and unfeathered with the engines shutdown in FS9, thats not realistic, in the real plane, after the engines are shutown the props feather no matter what, furthermore the prop lever does not have any effect anymore .. Prop overspeed test is also not realistic …
Maybe the next step would be a complete electrical system with functioning CBs, the guys doing factory/checkouts have a great tool there,
But that plane is still the best that I have flown in FS9 .. Bravo guys ..
Philippe Clument CFIAIM
PoubelleDump@yahoo.fr
It is rather special, isn’t it?
Mark - FlightSimX
I am a FO on a Cheyenne, an I must say that this is one of the most accurate simulations that I have ever used. The sound is amazing and the preformance is textbook. Wish there were better insturment panels avaible, We have a 530, a 43 and a MX 20 onboard, but all in all this is a great sim. 5 stars!
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