FS Airpark

Well, Mark, you got me hooked. I was kind of planning on buying the Carenado 206, but when they rolled out a lovely rendition of a well-loved classic Skyhawk, I just had to have one. Last night I pulled the trigger and bought it. Took it for a little test flight around Wichita. Hopefully I'll be able to get some screenshots this weekend.

All in all, a good buy. Documentation's kind of light, and the engine/prop sounds seem to belong to something much bigger than an old O-360. But there's lots of eye candy, plenty of little animations to click on, and you can choose from each paint variation with or without wheel fairings. The nose-high attitude on the ramp is a nice touch, and something conspicuously absent from the default 172. They've captured the spirit of an old Cessna, and that makes me happy.

I caught myself daydreaming about it all day, which for me is the mark of a good FS add-on. Hopefully I can get my grown-up stuff done quick this weekend so I can spend some more time with it. It's my last weekend home before I head out to sea for 5 months, and I've got to do my taxes and replace our bath tub... wish me luck!

Dave

I can see your wife hunting me down and demanding an explanation

Glad you like it, I totally know want you mean about daydreaming about FS all day when you have been hooked. Hopefully my weekend will spare some time for FS too, I've just upgraded my RAM and Vid card so I'm itching to test it out!

Okay, here are some pics and a more detailed review.

Ramp presence is really good. She sits at the right angle, and the cumulative effect of all the little details on the model makes for a good first impression.



While the cockpit may technically have the necessary equipment to be IFR certified, I don't think many folks would consider this an IFR machine. There is no DME, no autopilot of any kind, and no glideslope receiver. You could use the installed equipment to navigate along airways and fly a non-precision approach at your destination, but it would be pretty sporty. I think what these instruments are good for is getting you back to earth safely if you ACCIDENTALLY fly into nasty weather.



Like I said before, there's plenty of great eye candy to be had, and that's what makes this aircraft so fun. It just looks and feels right. The interior and exterior are modeled in great detail (see wheel/brake assembly below). The yokes are individually removable with a click in the virtual cockpit. Fresh air vents open and close, and the visors can be individually raised and lowered. The window on the pilot's side can be opened. The exit #2 command opens the right-side door and the baggage door. The chocks and pitot tube cover come off when you start the engine. I'm not sure why only the front side of the wheels are chocked, though. It's a little disconcerting to me to see that. So if you park on a hill, make sure you're nose-down.






I'm a big fan of the Cessna 172 in real life. I'm hoping the stars will stay aligned for me to buy one by the end of this year. This new offering from Carenado is a worthy representation of the all-around most successful aircraft ever made. There's nothing fancy about it, but I think I'll enjoy flying it for a while to come.

Dave