Carenado Cessna 152 II
In this review we'll be flying a Cessna 152 II, developed by Carenado.
Carenado offer a fleet of airplanes for both FSX and FS2004, which can be purchased, and instantly downloaded from their website (www.carenado.com).
The Cessna 152 II model reviewed, is only for FSX, it supports SP2, Acceleration Pack and DX10, enabling a high degree of realism.
Airplane Background
The Cessna 152 is a two seat airplane, manufactured by Cessna, between 1972 and 1985. The airplane has a service ceiling of 14,700 ft, with a maximum speed of 126 mph (110 knots, 204 km/h).
Carenado Package
The package includes four paint schemes, and airplanes with and without wheel fairings.
The flightdeck will be familiar to most real world pilots, the Cessna 152 is a very popular primary training airplane, and the first airplane a lot of pilots flew.
Looking around the flightdeck shows everything is accurately reproduced.
The perspective from the pilots seat is sheer perfection, it looks like you can literally reach out and touch levers, knobs and switches, and of course using the computer's mouse you can.
Student pilots learning in a Cessna 152, can use real airplane checklists, and practice manuevers reinforcing their actual flight lessons.
Flight Test
With the airplane lined up on the runway we apply power, quickly the airplane accelerates, and reaches take-off speed, with a gentle rotation the airplane climbs.
The external models are highly realistic, the color schemes are perfect.
Once we reached a safe altitude, we perform clearing turns to check for other airplanes in the area.
The Cessna 152 II model is great for practicing power-on and power-off stalls.
It's even possible to practice ground reference manuevers, such as turns around a point and s-turns.
Flight instructor trainees can even practice flying from the right hand seat.
The Cessna 152 makes a great airplane to practice takeoffs and landings, it's relatively slow approach speed provides time to react, and learn.
The model has loads of animations, including: doors, pilot's window, ashtray, copilot seat, glove compartment, sun visor, fresh air control and vibrating antenna.
New FSX features: external dynamic shadows, internal dynamic shadows on VC, normal mapping, specular mapping and bloom lights.
The package comes with documentation on pdf.
Summary
Carenado have put together a wonderful FSX addition with their Cessna 152 package.
The flightdeck is a perfect simulation of the real airplane, and can be used to practice real life maneuvers, which is great for both students and flight simulation pilots.
For pilots who have flown the Cessna 152, this package provides an opportunity to feel at home, on screen.
The Cessna 152 is relatively slow, but as such makes a great airplane to use for pattern work, maneuvers and even cross countries.
Take is for a spin, available from Carenado now ! (www.carenado.com).
