X-Plane 11 users will be pleased to learn that Thranda has released their Cessna 208 Grand Caravan DGS Series for the platform.
Within the aircraft package, you will find two models of the Cessna Caravan, those being the C208 Grand Caravan and the C208 Caravan 675. Whatsmore, both of these models come with both passenger and cargo variants.
Thranda Design has really upped their game with this release by adding in a huge number of details and features to make this a truly immersive experience. The entire fuel system has been custom made, whilst the engine itself has numerous modes tailored to different experience levels. Pilots will have full control over the 50 different instruments to choose from, whilst also being able to swap out various displays to suit your needs.
Via the in-sim app, you can also control chocks, invidious tie-downs, covers and have full control over aircraft load with an interactive control panel. You can also adjust the seat positions in the cabin to be a full cabin of passengers, a mix of passengers and cargo or simply all cargo.
The flight dynamics and systems are also high fidelity, offering a true-to-life experience with the Cessna Caravan on X-Plane. There’s also a detailed sound package in which the user has full control over the individual volume channels. The FMOD sound system will also give you clues about what’s happening under the hood should there be a problem.
All-in-all, Thranda Design has created a living and breathing aircraft in the simulator. The full feature list is down below.
Features
Feature-rich elegant fly-out menu with the following features:
- Realism settings for engine (simplified vs. realistic modes)
- Custom ITT logic, to get the startup ITT temperature right.
- Innovative electric tug, with in-panel controls to move forward/backward at the desired speed, and steer proportionally
- Control over chocks, individual tie-downs, covers, internal lights, external lights, etc.
- Option to enable/disable Cargo Pod, with realistically simulated weight, momentum, rotational inertia, and drag characteristics.
- Individually load weights in different sections of the Cargo Pod via the pop-up menu
- Option to start up running (all systems ready), or cold-and-dark, for realistic startup procedures.
- Control landing lights, strobes, beacon, and nav lights via pop-up window
- Detailed weight and balance manager with visual chart, individual passenger seat weight control, Lbs/KG unit toggle, CG control, external tank control, and the option to save and load configuration.
- Control individual seat positions, or hide them altogether, to create a hybrid passenger/cargo version.
- Multiple camera snap points, above and beyond what’s available by default in X-Plane, so you can perform your walk around checks.
- Adjust your camera’s Field of View without having to go to an X-plane menu, allowing for real-time adjustments.
- Audio mixer: individually control audio channels in real-time, so you can adjust volumes while hearing them play.
- Slew control: move your plane around the world, temporarily bypassing flight physics. Includes ground mode and air mode.
- Dynamic panel control page, with a separate view for the entire panel layout preview, or a per-instrument view, allowing for fine-tuning of instrument position, as well as copy-paste function to quickly replace instruments.
Flight dynamics and systems:
- Detailed and accurate flight dynamics and weight and balance with the help of multiple real-world active Caravan pilots. This not only gives this aircraft the proper “feel”, but also accurate takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing performance.
- The Caravan is a well-behaved airplane and a very stable IFR platform. Easy to fly, but extremely capable! The Caravan is equally comfortable at the world’s busiest airports as well as back country dirt strips.
- Detailed fuel system, including the small reservoir tank and the fuel selector warning alarms.
- Extensively simulated electrical system, including the battery, avionics busses, generator, starter, external power, and standby alternator system.
- Tie-downs and chocks actually keep the plane from moving, even in high winds.
Advanced FMOD-based sound system:
- High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth transitions and amazing atmospheric effects.
- Individual volume control over different aspects of the sound experience, adjustable in real-time (while listening to the sounds)
- Different sounds for front of plane than for back of plane
- Panning around the plane in exterior view yields awesome 3D audio effects, including “blade slapping” sound when view is perpendicular to prop
- Individual buttons and switches in the cockpit each have their own unique sound.
- Sounds actually give you clues as to what’s happening under the hood
- Outside wind intensity is affected by slip and AoA. (The more the surface area of the fuselage is hit by oncoming wind, the louder the sounds
