Pipers 970 Review

Description	14 Piper GA Planes For $14
Publisher	www.air.c74.net
Download Size	182.5 MB

Test System

15” Macbook Pro

1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

ATI Radeon X1600 126MB VRAM

2GB 667 MHz DDR2 RAM

X-PLANE 9.70

Mac OS X 10.6.7

FPS with this package and high rendering options on this computer: 30+

When you think of payware in the X-Plane world, a few aircraft come to mind immediately. The A380 from Peter’s Hangar, the CRJ from JRollon and X-Aviation, and the MU-2 from X-Scenery and X-Aviation all come to my mind. There is one word associated with all of those aircrafts: QUALITY. The bar of quality has been steadily climbing over the last few years in X-Plane. 3D cockpits with flat 2D textures just don’t cut it anymore in the today’s X-Plane world. The bar of quality has been raised and the payware aircraft developers who haven’t raised the bar are suffering. The Pipers 970 package from Jason Chandler is a shining example of a payware aircraft package that has fallen behind and has not stood the test of time. However, you will be surprised at the conclusion I have come to on this package. Read on.

First, a little background on Piper Aircraft, INC from Wikipedia:

Piper Aircraft, Inc., is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, located at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport in Vero Beach, Florida. Along with Beechcraft and Cessna, it is considered one of the "Big Three" in the field of general aviation construction.

Between its founding in 1927 and the end of 2009 the company has produced 144,000 aircraft in 160 certified models, of which 90,000 are still flying.

Included in Jason’s package are 14 legendary Pipers. They are:

• Cherokee: PA-28-140
• Charokee: PA-28-160
• Warrior III: PA-28-161
• Chaerokee: PA-28-180
• Archer III: PA-28-181
• Dakota: PA-28-235
• Arrow I: PA-28R-200
• Arrow III: PA-28-201
• Saratoga: PA-32R-301T
• Seneca V: PA-34-220T
• Seminole: PA-44-180
• Malibu: PA-46-310P
• Mirage: PA-46-350P
• Meridian: PA46-500TP

For the purpose of this review, the aircraft will be referred to by their names, not by their model numbers. The only exception is in the case of the three Cherokees; the three-digit model number will be added.

PANEL AND SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION

What better way to start a review than talking about the place where you will be spending the most time, the cockpit? My rules for reviewing a payware plane’s cockpit are as follows:

• Textures: Has the author used more than the default X-Plane default panel textures and instrument textures? Has the author implemented textures in the cockpit that are realistic to the real life aircraft? Are the textures the same color as in the real life aircraft and how realistic are they?

• Instruments: Are the instruments in the right place? Are all of the instruments that are in the real life aircraft included in the simulation? Are all the instruments textured as they are in the real life aircraft?

• Cockpit 3D modeling: Are the instruments modeled in 3D, for example, is the Garmin 430’s knobs a 3D object popping out in the 3D cockpit, or is it just a texture? Is the artificial horizon a 2D texture just painted on the surface or is it a 3D model popping out? Is the cockpit shell modeled correctly? Are all 3D instruments that move animated? Are manipulators used?

• Systems: Are there any more systems simulated than the X-Plane default? Is there a custom FMC? (When Applicable) Is there a plugin and/or Gizmo used to simulate beyond what X-Plane simulates by default?

All of the planes in the Piper package have native 3D cockpit views and no 2D panels are included.

Cherokee (140)

This Cherokee’s 3D cockpit is bland and 2D, but serviceable. To an extent, the cockpit stays true to the original. No systems are modeled and the simulation experience compared to real thing is quite poor. The instruments are not modeled in 3D. Every single texture is the same dark shade of black. Because all of the textures are the same shade of black, everything blends together and you cannot even see the yoke and interior.

Cherokee (160)

Our second Cherokee is the same story as the first. No need to copy and paste the paragraph about the first Cherokee, you already read it.Warrior III

This aircraft brings a bit of a welcome or unwelcome change depending on how you look at it, glass. For the most part, the instruments are in their correct places. The Avidyne PFD is the X-Plane default. The Avidyne MFD is slightly simulated with an EFIS feature and a map feature. However, she suffers from the same faults the first two did. The instruments are not modeled in 3D, and every texture is the same shade of black, preventing you from seeing the yoke or the interior. Most Cherokee 161’s have a cream-ish colored background in the cockpit. One has to wonder why that could not have been implemented. In fact, if a user really wanted to, they could fix that easily in about 30 seconds in your favorite image-editing program.

Cherokee (180)

Same story as with the first two Cherokee’s. Again, no need to copy and paste, you already read my verdict on this one.

Archer III

The Archer III has the same cockpit the Warrior III has. Again, same verdict.

Dakota

The Dakota has a slightly upgraded version of the Cherokee’s cockpit. She has more Radios and one of X-Plane’s standard GPS’. Again, the same bug has bit the Dakota. No instruments are modeled in 3D and all of the textures are that same shade of eerie, ominous black. The GPS that most Dakota’s have would have been a perfect spot for Jason to implement a plugin or Gizmo to simulate the GPS.

Arrow I

The Arrow I has the same cockpit as the Cherokee’s.

Arrow III

The Arrow III has the same cockpit as the Archer III and the Warrior III.

Saratoga

The Saratoga has a slight variation on the same glass cockpit used earlier. The Saratoga is a slightly roomier plane so the instruments are more spread out. Ouch! Did you feel that? The bug is back and he keeps on biting! No 3D instruments and the same old shade of black.

Seneca V

With the Seneca V we get our first bigger, multi-engined Piper. The instrumentation seems a little off to me. The picture above represents the most common Seneca V cockpit. I am no mathematician but I think there are way too many steam gauges in Jason’s simulation. However, I have no idea which Seneca V he based it off of. Our friend the bug can’t stop biting. The same shade of black is present in the Seneca and no instruments are 3D modeled. The Avidyne PFD and MFD are the same as the earlier wrote about one’s.

Seminole

The Seminole has the same Panel as the Archer III and Warrior III

Malibu

Ahhhh, the famous Malibu. I was hoping for a breathe of fresh air with this one. In fact, I got the tiniest bit of one. The Malibu’s panel layout seems to be spot on. The instruments are well placed and all viewable. But then, just as I was started to the breath that fresh air, guess who showed up? The Bug! Black…. No 3D… Default instruments... Help me! I’m suffocating!

Mirage

With the Mirage we take a step up to Piper’s new Garmin three screen, big screen cockpit, whatever you want to call it the name of the cockpit doesn’t matter. Jason has tried to simulate the Garmin version of the cockpit but sadly, he has fallen a little short. He does have a pretty good moving map and EFIS setup in the middle MFD though. No matter how much we want it to go away, that same old bug is still there. No need to keep explaining what he is doing.

Meridian

The Meridian is Piper’s flagship GA plane. In Jason’s simulation, it has the same cockpit as the Mirage.

OVERALL PANEL AND SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION SCORES

Textures	1/5	That same shade of black finds it way into every plane and it is very unrealistic.  All the instruments are default planemaker textures.
Instruments	3/5	For the most part, the instrumentation is correct.  Again, the instruments are all default 2D planemaker textures and not realistic.
Cockpit 3D Modeling	2/5	No instruments are 3D modeled.  Interiors can’t be seen because of the black texturing.
Systems	2/5	There are no special systems implemented besides what you can do with planemaker.  There is no use of Gizmo or plugins to simulate systems.
Overall Panel Score	2/5	These panels are pretty bad but functional enough.  Nothing to write home about.

Exterior Model and Exterior “Eye Candy”

We would all like to say that we spend all of our time in the cockpit and the exterior model doesn’t matter but that just isn’t true. In today’s X-Plane world the exterior model is a very important part of the .acf. Who doesn’t like to step out into chase view and fly from out there every once in a while? Here are my rules for reviewing a payware planes exterior model:

• 3D Model: Is it just a planemaker model or is it an .obj model? Are there any rough edges? How detailed is the model? Does the model look like the real life plane to best of our eyes abilities?

• Model Texturing: How detailed are the textures? Are there details such as flap lines, fuel tanks, doors, and rivets?

This category is really where Jason’s Piper package shines. All planes have an .obj model for every single thing on the exterior. The modeling is exquisite. The textures? Ehhh they are just “OK.” The physical aircraft paint in the textures is beautiful. However, the textures are missing many details such as rivets. Take a look at some of Carenado’s textures and you’ll know what I mean. Take a look for yourself at Jason’s Pipers:

(no particular order)

Almost every plane has multiple livery options, which is a major plus in my book. Each of the Pipers is very frame rate friendly, even on my old geezer of a computer. Each model is very smooth and really has the “it” factor. My only complaint is that it seems the windows were not truly cut out in a modeling program. In real life, the windows are glass and perfectly see through, not black. Because they are very dark that leads me to believe they were made with transparency in textures. I would have to look deeper to determine the truth on that subject matter.

OVERALL EXTERIOR MODEL AND “EYE CANDY” SCORES

3D Model	4.5/5	Except for the funky windows the exterior models are PERFECT.
Exterior Texture	3.5/5	The textures are detail lacking but nice to look at. The physical aircraft paint is very nice.
Overall Exterior Score	4/5	I am really digging the Piper’s exteriors.  Quite nice.

Flight Model Realism

Flight model realism is a very touchy subject open to a lot of debate. I am no real life pilot. I have very little experience in real airplanes but I do have more experience than most people in a flight simulator. After reading many reviews over the years and flying planes that are verified to be realistic, you develop a sense of what is right and what is not. Every single one of Jason’s Pipers has custom airfoils to help in the flight model department. Included with your download of Pipers 970 are documents for every single plane. Along with brochures and interesting reading on each plane is a mini POH. Nothing special, but enough to get you through a first flight. Over the last couple days I have flown from my home airport of Nashville Int’l to a nearby hub, Memphis, in every single Piper. Yes, all 14. This flight is short enough to be bearable to sit through watching your computer screen and long enough to really test the .acf. I can truly say that each and every single Piper performed SPOT ON with the indicated numbers in the mini POH’s. Every stall speed was perfectly correct. Every takeoff speed was perfectly correct. Fuel consumption was perfectly correct. To the best of my knowledge, every single Piper’s flight model was near perfect. Jason really got it right here.

OVERALL FLIGHT MODEL REALISM SCORE

Flight Model Realism

5/5

As stated above, flight models are very good.

User Friendliness

User friendliness is a very important part of every .acf. I believe that some planes in X-Plane have an “it” factor. Some planes just have something about them that makes you keep flying them over and over again. This mainly comes from how well the plane has been crafted in planemaker and the modeling programs and how well the plane integrates and interacts with the simulator. Everything you need to fly the plane should be clickable in the 3D cockpit and no keyboard shortcuts should have to be used to fly the plane. Jason’s Piper’s have a bit of this “it” factor. The cockpits aren’t the best but since the instruments are default there is no guessing where things are and what they are and that is very friendly. However, because of our nasty little black bug they can be a pain to fly in sometimes. They are so dark inside you can’t see anything. I feel like I am in a cave when I am flying them. These planes are friendly enough to be almost immediately comfortable in them. But they could be friendlier.

FINAL SCORES

Panel and System Implementation	2/5	As I stated in the panel and system part of the review, the cockpits aren’t anything to write home about.  The instruments are 2D textures and not 3D
Exterior Model and “Eye Candy”	4/5	The exterior models are exquisite.  Textures are very good although not great.  Very good exterior overall.
Flight Model	5/5	As I said in the flight model section, to the best of my knowledge, the flight models are near perfect.
User Friendliness	3/5	The panels really bring the user friendliness score down.  But, the planes are all very easy to jump in and fly and honestly, they are quite fun.
Final Score	3.5/5

VERDICT

I will be the first one to admit that I was probably a little too hard on these Pipers in my review. 14 planes for $14 is $1 a plane. That is literally freeware. However, a review is a review and payware is payware. It would be unfair to judge a certain payware aircraft lighter than others just because of its price because after all, you paid for it, and there should be certain expectations when buying a payware plane. It would however, be fair to judge payware harder because of a high price. I will say, for the price, the planes in this package are quite good. If bought individually for a higher price, they wouldn’t be worth your money. If you didn’t read the whole review and just wanted my verdict, I would have to say that this is a must have for X-Plane and every X-Plane pilot needs to have these Pipers in his/her hangar. If you don’t have these planes right now you need to head on over to www.air.c74.net and grab these.

Cheers,

Simon B.