Test Flight Report: Beechcraft Super "G" 18

Reviewed by The Rhythmosaur

Model, animation, panel, textures and several gauges by Greg Pepper.

Available here at Surclaro:

Aircraft:

https://www.surclaro.com/download.php?op=viewdownloaddetails&lid=5042&ttitle=b18g2k2.zip

Modified Panel:

https://www.surclaro.com/download.php?op=viewdownloaddetails&lid=5456&ttitle=b18gmod.zip

THIS IS THE LATEST VERSION WITH THE MODIFIED PANEL called b18gmod.zip.

Categories:

Slow heavy twin engine prop, low CPU requirements

Out of production.

Outside :

Massive appearance. Nose up taildrager, openable main door. Air frame surfaces reflect not only the light, but the constuctors handwork, too, like they puzzled it together.

If you really want to find something negative, you might say, this frame looks like built this morning. Usage traces are missing despite from a bit dirt behind the exhausters.

The mighty (looking) engines are crowned by a silver reflecting two bladed prop.

Gear and gearbays are not too detailed, but okay anyway.

The man you can see from outside sitting on right hand seat is a tourist who wants to be photographed, it seems. Why I know this? Hey, ever seen a roaring twin engine's master without his headset?

Good lighting. Flashlights partly reflected by wings and interiour cabin as you look into it from outside (at night). Cabin appears to be illuminated, door is somehow transparent. Both props turn clockwise (seen from the cockpit) and the plane pulls right at takeoff.

Rating: 8

Interour :

Animated Capt/ non animated FO Gauges. Cabin not illuminated, but you see Strobe and Beacon flashs reflected in the whole cabin including the VCock Panels. Moving Controls.

Cabin seating is a bit too edgy but looks fine otherwise.

Rating: 8

Panel: Some of the gauges show the Beechcraft sign. Miss the FF and EGT-gauges, but the plane possibly had no such, so this is no minus for the evaluation (in dubio pro reo...).

This picture is shown with the pop up panels.

The handbrake handle and the fuel valve switches in the power quad do not work. GRMBL! Long live the shortcuts...

Rating: 9

Sound:

Baron, with a backup sound.cfg for non-Pro Edition users. As sound is a very important element for me, this is a definite MINUS.

Behaviour:

Easy to stear (in the air), turn ratio on ground worse than my grandma's (wich is realistic - see docu for help), well prepared landing easy (watch your speed...).

Docu:

Large and detailed documentation (missing Checklist). Guide on procedures, but not transfered to the kneeboard, otherwise rated 9. Rating:8

Overall Rating: 8. Recommended .

DATA:

(ISA-Test)

I cannot tell about fuel consumption due to missing FF-gauges!

FL rpm IAS/GS/Consumption

FL080 2300/169/190/?

FL100 2300/164/191/? Best GS

FL120 2300/159/190/?

Tipps:

Correct outside Window size (in Cockpit mode) if you want to see something. It's lower end is far under the main panel. The author obviously intended to simulate the bad visibility of this nose up taildragger, especially on the ground, but for my taste he overdid it a little bit. For me, the upper end of that window should be positioned slightly under the lowest part of the panel (left hand side) so you`ll be able to see the ground at least there when you taxi.

Backup the Readme file and rename the Readme.txt to Ref.txt, add to aircraft.cfg: kb_reference=Ref. Erase at Ref.txt the things you don't need while flying (I left history in the file. You can read it while cruising).

The file contains a Do-it-yourself-guide an how to fly this wonderful plane and you will have it on your kneeboard if you do like this. No printer that doesn't work because of an empty cache or lack of paper, no written document that dives into your desk never to be seen again, no folder that blocks space for your joystick, your coffee, your cigarettes or whatever.

And the most important advice: Load it down and have fun!

LAST MINUTE UPDATE
This aircraft is fully FS2004 compatible. You just have to replace the old GPS: Open the panel folder, and then panel.cfg.
Search for the GPS window section. Replace the whole content of this window section with the following lines:

size_mm=456,378
window_size=0.5
position=8
BACKGROUND_COLOR=0,0,0
VISIBLE=0
ident=GPS_PANEL
gauge00=fs9gps!gps_500, 0,0

The Rhythmosaur