FS2000 Beechcraft Bonanza F36J Propjet
By Robert van Vaals (26 July 2000)
Lately I downloaded all three FS2000 Beech Bonanzas from Phoenix Simulation Software (payware, available at http://www.phoenix-simulation.co.uk), hey, a good opportunity to take one of these out for this particular ride!
In this particular Piloot En Vliegtuig article a real-life flight report was featured, an appetizing story about four men who flew the above mentioned flight on the 25th and the 26th of February last, however, not with a Beech Bonanza but with a small Tobago TB-10, the PH-PME.
 Date 25 February 2000, time 1800, departure EHRD, pre-flight check. |
The original flight departed from EHRD at 18:40 in the afternoon. Indeed, you're right, an IFR night flight! As the intention of the real-life flight was to train IFR skills, all landings were made on ILS equipped runways, visual approaches forbidden. Here's the route:
Departure EHRD, Rotterdam airport, runway 24, ILS 108.30 MHz
RTM, Rotterdam, VOR/DME, 110.40 MHz
NIK, Nicky, VOR/DME, 117.40 MHz
CIV, Chievres, VOR, 113.20 MHz
CMB, Cambrai, VOR, 112.60 MHz
MTD, Montdidier, VOR, 113.65 MHz
Arrival LFOB, Beauvais Tille airport, runway 31, ILS 109.95 MHz
ABB, Abbeville, VOR, 116.60 MHz
LYD, Lydd, VOR/DME, 114.05 MHz
DET, Detling, VOR/DME, 117.30 MHz
Arrival EGMC, Southend airport, runway 24, ILS 111.35 MHz
DVR, Dover, VOR/DME, 114.95 MHz
KOK, Koksy, VOR, 114.50 MHz
HSD, Haamstede, VOR, 114.15 MHz
Arrival EHRD, Rotterdam airport, runway 24, ILS 108.30 MHz
 Time 18:15, departure EHRD, where are the checklists? |
After download the package must be unzipped and installed with the included .exe installer. The .exe installer copies the Beechcraft Bonanza F36J Propjet to the FS2000 aircraft folder and generates an extra folder in the FS2000 root, called PSS, in which the .exe installer copies the two manuals for both aircraft and panel plus a file with data for the GPS. The .exe installer doesn't harm your system; it does what it has to do, it moves the Beechcraft Bonanza F36J Propjet to the FS2K aircraft folder and the two manuals to the PSS folder, fortunately nothing more, nothing less.
 Time 18:25, departure EHRD, taxi to runway 24. |
The cabin views load fast, as they're more gritty than the FS2000 default ones. It's good that Phoenix Simulation Software included cabin views in the package as they add much more to the aircraft feeling.
 Time 18:40, departure EHRD, take off runway 24. |
I thought the front view from the main panel on the runway, however, was not entirely correct. Every time I used the aircraft I had to drag the bottom of the front view a little towards the upper side of the panel. To repair this I altered the panel.cfg somewhat. I changed the last line of the panel.cfg in SIZE_Y=2419, after which the front view was correct.
The radio stack is impressive. The COM radios and the NAV radios have stand-by frequencies and the radio stack holds a GPS too, comparable to Alain Capt's well-known ACS-GPS. With the aid of the panel manual I put the complete EHRD-EHRD flight plan in the GPS as well. For the more laid back flightsimmers, however, the GPS is also able to import flights made with the aid of the default flight planner.
 Time 20:45, arrival LFOB, on final runway 31. |
The first stretch from EHRD to LFOB went a little unaccustomed, however, navigating to the LFOB ILS glideslope of runway 31 was not that difficult. After passing the last VOR before LFOB (VOR MTD, Montdidier, at 113.65 MHz) I proceeded on the same heading outbound, approximately 210 degrees, in order to intercept the localizer.
I navigated to the EGMC ILS glide slope of runway 24 with the aid of VOR DET, Detling, at 117.30 MHz. After passing VOR DET I dial in the frequency of VOR CLN, Clacton, 114.55 MHz in the NAV radio and the frequency of NDB SND, Southend, at 362.5 kHz in the ADF.
Doing so I flew more or less parallel to runway 24, approximate heading 030 degrees. I watched the movement of the needle of the ADF and as soon as the needle of the ADF dropped to 240 degrees I banked left to the direction of NDB SND, Southend, at 362.5 kHz, in order to intercept the localizer.
 Time 23:00, departure EGMC, take off runway 24. |
I navigated to the EHRD ILS glide slope of runway 24 with the aid of VOR HSD, Haamstede, at 114.15 MHz. After passing VOR HSD I keyed in the direction of NDB RR, Rotterdam, at 404.5 kHz, in order to fly a parallel course along the runway. After passing NDB RR I banked left to the direction of VOR RTM, Rotterdam, at 110.40 MHz in order to intercept the localizer.
 Time 01:50, arrival EHRD, on final runway 24. |
When I compare the Phoenix Simulation Software Beech Bonanzas to comparable aircraft, as offered in the Abacus Premier Collection (the Piper Comanche 250 to name one) or in the Abacus Private Pilot package for example, the Phoenix Simulation Software Beech Bonanzas are better and far more complete.
The price, GBP. 10.00 each aircraft (Phoenix Simulation Software
offers three different liveries, three different types), may not
really be cheap (although I believe a discount is granted when all
three aircraft are purchased all in one) but in return fine aircraft
are offered, aircraft which I consider as excellent value for
money.
For those who are really addicted to light aircraft, like myself, the Phoenix Simulation Software Beech Bonanzas are a remarkable good addition to the FS2000 fleet.
Robert van Vaals
Visit Phoenix Simulation Software at
http://www.phoenix-simulation.co.uk
vanvaals@wxs.nl