Just Flight, in partnership with Thranda Design, has released the PA-28-181 Archer III for X-Plane 12.
The Piper PA-28-181 Archer III is a popular four-seat, single-engine, low-wing light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft. It’s part of the long-running PA-28 Cherokee family, which has been a staple of general aviation training and personal flying since the 1960s.
Just Flight and Thranda Design’s PA-28 Archer III for X-Plane 12 features fully implemented PBR materials with real-time environment reflections, 8K texturing, highly detailed modelling, a newly developed tablet EFB that introduces a wide range of features, including aircraft configuration, state management, interactive checklists, and customisation options. The aircraft also includes numerous detailed animations, such as a multi-stage passenger door that dynamically reacts to G-forces and air resistance when open.
The full feature list can be found below.
You can purchase the Just Flight & Thranda Design PA-28-181 Archer III for X-Plane 12 from the Just Flight website for £30.49.
Just Flight PA-28-181 Archer III Features
Model
- Accurately modelled PA-28-181 Archer III, built using real-world aircraft plans and comprehensive photography of the real aircraft
- Numerous animations, including a multi-animation passenger door that, when open, responds to G-forces and air resistance, baggage door, cockpit window and sun visors
- Ground equipment, including chocks and tie-downs
- 8K textures are used to produce the highest possible texture clarity
- PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials with real-time environment reflections, completely reworked and upgraded for X-Plane 12
- Detailed normal mapping for down-to-the-rivet precision of aircraft features
- X-Plane 12 native rain effects
- Ability to switch between liveries from the EFB and set the level of dirt in real-time without the need to use the aircraft menu
- Unique dynamic livery system which allows for the creation of liveries on the fly, including customisable registrations
Cockpit
- A truly 3D virtual cockpit, right down to accurately modelled seat belts and screw heads – every instrument is constructed fully in 3D with smooth animations
- Cockpit textures feature wear and tear based on reference photos taken in the real aircraft to produce an authentic environment
- Tablet EFB with a selection of apps full of useful tools and customisation options:
– Aircraft Options – open/close the aircraft’s doors, enable/disable glass reflection, enable/disable ground equipment, and more!
– Weight & Balance – adjust the aircraft’s weight and balance using the built-in configuration app and centre of gravity table.
– Instrument Options – choose to have the cockpit avionics visible in the 3D cockpit, or have them pop out on 2D panels.
– Static Liveries – change aircraft liveries without exiting to the main menu.
– Dynamic Liveries – customise the aircraft’s paint scheme without leaving the aircraft. Features four different styles whose colours can be fully customised in the aircraft, without the need for any complicated paint kits.
– Engine Configuration – view the condition of the engines and enable enhanced simulation options such as spark plug fouling and vapour lock.
– DynaFeel – adjust the force required to move each of the control surfaces.
– Checklists – interactable checklists for every stage of flight.
– AviTab support
– And much more! - Fully functional and comprehensive IFR-capable avionics fit, including:
– KMA 24 audio selector
– Fully featured X-Plane-native GNS530 (supports procedures out of the box, and supports Navigraph and Aerosoft custom nav databases)
– GNC 255 COM/NAV 2 radio
– KN 62 DME unit, which can display information from NAV 1 or NAV 2
– S-TEC autopilot with lateral hold modes (HDG, NAV, APR, REV) and vertical modes (ALT, VS)
– TT31 transponder
– KR 87 ADF
– Traffic-Watch ATD-300 traffic awareness unit
– Strikefinder stormscope
– HSI and ADF gauges
– Support for TDS GTNXi and RealityXP GTN750 (sold separately, Windows only) - GoodWay compatible
- Ability to toggle wheel fairings
- Pop-up autopilot window
- Option to remove window and instrument reflection effects
- Animated toe brakes
- Functional throttle quadrant tensioning system
- Radio knob animations routed through plugin logic, for optimum movement fidelity and sound synchronisation
Aircraft systems
- Custom-coded fuel system, including the option of automatic fuel tank switching for use on those long-distance cross-country flights (this option is remembered for future flights)
- Custom-coded electrical system with functional circuit breakers, avionics power circuit and emergency bus controls. Circuit breaker logic is linked to X-Plane’s internal failure logic, so if the plane is set to fail a certain electrical component after a certain number of hours, the circuit breaker for that element will pop out.
- Realistic landing gear with slow/fast tyre rotation animation (blurry when rotating fast), precise shock absorber animation and wheel chocks and tie-downs
- Functioning carburettor and primer controls
- Dedicated interactive engine EFB app displaying values such as fuel tank weights and imbalance, fuel pressure, oil pressure, oil temperature, battery charge (with quick charge option), and information about spark plug fouling and vapour lock condition
- Simulated vapour lock condition, with warning pop-up and suggested actions
- Simulated spark plug fouling condition, with indication of percentage of fouling
- The lighting system includes separate lighting control for gauges (via rheostat)
- Functional electric trim control on yoke
- Simulated fan and vent system with realistic blower sounds (linked to circuit breaker logic and electrical system for realism)
- Custom external light logic with custom strobe light pattern and custom light halos for added realism
Liveries
The Archer III is supplied with six liveries from the USA, Australia, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the UK:
- D-EFVC (Germany)
- EC-JQO (Spain)
- G-BXTW (UK)
- HB-PPN (Switzerland)
- N6092U (USA)
- VH-PPR (Australia)
The Archer III also comes with Thranda’s Dynamic Livery System, which allows you to create your own liveries from within the intuitive EFB app. These are available in four different styles with all colours, registrations, levels of dirt and reflectiveness being adjustable, allowing for some fun and truly unique creations.
Other features
- Realistic and accurate flight dynamics based on real-world performance and handling data, and input from PA-28 pilots, reworked for X-Plane 12.
- Authentic sound set, generated using X-Plane’s state-of-the-art FMOD sound system
- Custom sounds for switches, doors, warnings and more, featuring accurate location placement of sounds in the stereo spectrum, 3D audio effects, atmospheric effects, adaptive Doppler, exterior sounds spill in when window or door(s) are opened, different sound characteristics depending on viewing angle, etc.
- Comprehensive manual with panel guide and performance data
- Custom Weight and Balance Manager EFB app
