Screen shots by Carenado

Cessna's 340 II is a six-person, twin-engine, pressurized general aviation aircraft built during the 1970s. Its maximum take-off weight is 5,990 pounds (2,719 kilograms), its maximum speed is 244 knots, its range is 1,406 nautical miles (2,603 kilometers), and its ceiling is 29,800 feet (9,085 meters).

Carenado lists these among other features of its Cessna 340:

• Real behavior compared to the real airplane
• Interactive virtual cockpit
• Original high quality digital stereo sounds recorded directly from the real aircraft
• Four paint schemes plus a blank texture
• Manuals, checklists, and reference data

AVAILABLE LIVERIES
White	Red	Beige	Gray	Black/Gold
Screen shots by Bill Stack

Visual Features

Exteriors and interiors of this aircraft are very detailed and appear realistic compared with real-world photos I found on the Internet. Textures, shadows, rivets, seams, and other details are all present. The cockpit and cabin are especially well done.

Night effects are fairly realistic. Exterior surfaces are mildly illuminated at night. The cockpit, cabin, and instrument panel all seem realistically lighted. The cockpit and cabin lights show through the windows, as expected.

The instrument panel is realistic compared with photos I found. It is not period, however, and neither is the real-world photo, because there was no GPS when this aircraft was produced in the 1970s. Most instruments on the 3D main panel are readable. The airspeed indicator, which is used continually, is clear only when the view is zoomed in. There is no 2D panel. Popup windows are for GPS, manual (checklists), control windows, autopilot, and info (popup hotkeys).

Carenado's screen shots show the yokes missing, thus exposing all instruments and controls behind them, but I found nothing about this in the documentation. In response to my question, the developer said they can be removed by clicking on their bases.

The developer's screen shots also show the cabin door and two cargo doors open, but I found nothing about them in the documents or any way to open them by mouse clicking. In response to my question, the developer said the following hotkeys open and close those doors: SHIFT + E, SHIFT + E + 2, SHIFT + E + 3. In explaining why they are not mentioned in the documents, Carenado said: "Opening the doors are standards key assignment and hidden yokes are a standard feature of most aircraft."

INTERIOR VIEWS
Left Seat	Center	Right Seat
Cabin	Cabin	Cockpit & Cabin
Screen shot by Bill Stack

Aircraft Performance

Carenado's aircraft description lists the following performance characteristics: cruise speed 190 knots (352 kilometers per hour); range 1,425 nautical miles (2,639 kilometers); ceiling 26,500 feet (8,077 meters); maximum gross weight 5,990 pounds (2,717 kilograms); useful load 2,133 pounds (968 kilograms); seating up to six. These differ slightly from the specifications I found on Wikipedia.

For a sense of realism, I used Cessna Aircraft Field (KCEA) near Wichita, Kansas. It is privately owned by the Cessna Aircraft Company. At an elevation of 1,408 feet (429 meters) above mean sea level, its one runway (18/36) is 8,009 feet (2,443 meters) long. I also used Carenado's default fuel and weight settings: Full fuel load of 977 pounds (443 kilograms), payload of 1,010 pounds (458 kilograms), and gross weight of 5,844 pounds (2,651 kilgrams). All are within specified tolerances.

• Taking Off: The checklist says to use zero flaps, accelerate to 2,700 RPM (red line), raise the nosewheel at 86 KIAS, and "break ground" at 91 KIAS. Although this aircraft will lift off around 80 KIAS, its stall horn sounds and will falls back onto the runway. Therefore, close attention should be paid to airspeed before rotating and lifting off.
  
  
• Climbing: Once off the runway at the specified airspeed, the aircraft climbs normally. Best multi-engine climb speed is specified at 108 KIAS. Thereafter, climb speed is specified at 115 to 140 KIAS and 2,450 RPM (within the green zone). The aircraft climbs very easily at about 1,500 feet per minute at lower altitudes.

  Climbing to cruise altitude is a different story. With RPM at 2,450 as recommended in the checklist, the aircraft's climb rate diminished steadily as it climbed through higher altitudes. At 15,000 feet, it was climbing at 800 feet per minute. At 20,000 feet it was climbing at 500 feet per minute. At 25,000 feet, it was climbing around 250 feet per minute. It barely reached specified cruise altitude of 26,500 feet, climbing at less than 100 feet per minute. It never stalled, however.
  
  

• Cruising: Cruise power is specified at 2,100 to 2,450 RPM and 17 to 28 inches of manifold pressure. The aircraft handles very well within these parameters at low and middle altitudes, traveling at about 115 KIAS while below 20,000 feet.
  
  
• Descending: This aircraft decelerates and descends easily with ordinary power reduction.
  
  
• Approaching: The "Before Landing" checklist calls for flaps 15 degrees when slower than 160 KIAS and 15 to 45 degrees when slower than 140 KIAS. The white arc on the airspeed indicator shows maximum flaps speed of 130 KIAS, however. In response to my question, Carenado said: "The white arc is for the second point of flaps." This is inconsistent with official flight manuals, however. Landing gear may be lowered when slower than 140 KIAS. The aircraft handled just fine within these parameters.
  
  
• Landing: Minimum multi-engine approach speed is specified as 94 KIAS, and this aircraft landed normally at and slightly above that airspeed with flaps as recommended.
  
  
• Taxiing: This aircraft taxis easily like any other aircraft its type, size, and weight.
  
  
• Instruments: Most instruments on the panel are standard. A few are unique, such as the exhaust temperature gauge, but none is difficult to figure out. The airspeed indicator on the left side is not as sharp as other instruments. The Bendix/King weather radar shows different conditions ahead when weather is different, as seen in the screen shots. Carenado says it shows actual weather conditions simulated ahead.
  
  
• Overall: This aircraft handles much like the FSX Beechcraft Baron 58 in most regards. Its specific airspeed recommendations are a bit different, but it handles easily within those parameters. It seemed to climb more quickly at lower altitudes than the Baron 58. Overall, I found it very enjoyable to fly.
  
  

Having never flowing the real Cessna 340, I have no first-hand knowledge of its real-world performance. The developer advertises it as realistic, and I have no basis for questioning that.

PANELS AND POPUPS
Screen shot by Bill Stack

WEATHER RADAR SCREENS
Fronts	Gray & Rainy	Thunderstorms
Screen shot by Bill Stack

VIEWS WHILE ALOFT
Screen shot by Bill Stack

Checklists and Reference Data

The checklists are in the form of a multi-page gauge that opens within popup windows instead of within the kneeboard. Although comprehensive, they are very difficult to read. They are also available in Adobe Acrobat files that are readable although not the best clarity.

NIGHT EFFECTS
Screen shot by Bill Stack

The Manuals

Six documents in Adobe Acrobat format explain the virtual instrument panel, the GPS, and the weather radar.

• VC Position Instruments C340II: This one-page file has a screen shot of the instrument panel with major instruments and controls identified.
  
  
• Carenado GNS430 Users Guide: This three-page document uses screen shots to explain use of the Garmin GNS430 GPS, which is similar to the FSX Garmin 500 with a few unique differences.
  
  
• Weather Radar Manual: This three-page document explains use of the Bendix/King weather radar with relevant screen shots.
  
  
• Normal and Emergency Procedures: This 38-page document provides comprehensive checklists for all flight phases as well as numerous procedures for emergency situations such as engine failure, restarting an engine in flight, and emergency landings. It includes several pages of tabular details.
  
  
• Reference: A one-page document specifies the aircraft's main performance characteristics.
  
  
• Copyright: A one-page document provides copyright restrictions and contact information.
  
  

SAMPLES OF THE MANUALS
Panel Guide		Checklist Page 9
GPS User Guide	Reference Sheet	Weather Radar Guide
Screen shot by Bill Stack

Technical Features

This product is only for FSX.

For best results, the product requires Windows XP - Vista - 7 (32 or 64 bits), Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX with Acceleration Pack installed, a Pentium V / 4 GHz or similar – 4GB RAM – 1GB graphics card, and 400MB hard disk space available, according to the developer.

Purchase and installation from the Pilot Shop are very easy. Downloading and installation are quick. Acknowledgment of copyright is required, but no license key is required.

The installation program is easy to use. It deposits all the needed aircraft files into a folder named C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\Carenado C340. The manuals are installed into a folder named C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Carenado\340.

The most notable difference in sounds between Carenado's 340 and the similar Beechcraft Baron 58 are the Cessna 340's higher pitch engines and the rattling of the wheels while taking off and landing. Carenado says the sounds are recorded from an actual Cessna 340.

I found this aircraft to be memory hungry. All basic simulator functions such as selecting the aircraft and displaying the virtual instrument panel were very slow, taking several minutes for each function. For example, loading the aircraft in the beginning took three minutes, and changing aircraft from one livery to another took two minutes. These times compare with 10 seconds for switching from Carenado's Cessna 340 to the FSX default Beechcraft Baron 58. Eventually a memory-low warning popped up in my computer. This was true even with my FSX settings on default and after my computer and simulator were restarted to clear memory and no programs were running in the background. Such slow functions made using the simulator very frustrating and caused me to avoid the use of some features. It also cut deeply into the time available for evaluating the aircraft and making various screen shots. This memory drain appears to be the result of huge texture files compared to texture files in FSX default and other add-on aircraft. Granted the default aircraft are much lower quality visually than this aircraft, but at a substantial trade-off.

In response to my question about this, Carenado said: "What you described is weird. We only have a few comments similar to yours. In general it doesn’t 'eat' much memory. The most important things are the RAM available and then video card RAM." My computer and simulator are within the recommended specifications, and I have never had such problems with any other add-on aircraft.

I did not see an uninstall program or any mention of such in the documents. According to Carenado, removing this aircraft (if desired) can be done with the Add/Remove Programs feature of the Windows control panel.

Technical support is available through an email address shown in the documents. Carenado responded quickly and courteously to my inquires, which bodes will for users needing technical assistance.

Readers with technical questions not answered in this review should ask the developer. Using the links below, go to the Pilot Shop page where the product is listed and described, then click on "Manufacturer Tech Support" in the right column.

PURCHASE FEATURES
Instant download from the Pilot Shop	Yes
Installation program	Yes
License key required	No
Copyright acknowledgment required	Yes
Manual included	4
Checklists & reference included	Yes
Uninstall program included	??

More Information

• Airliners.Net
  
  
• Wikipedia
  
  

Carenado develops and markets add-on Beechcraft, Cessna, and Piper aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator FS2004 and FSX, and X-Plane. "We at Carenado are dedicated to creating the very best add-ons for the Flight Simulation community providing the highest quality of popular GA planes," according to its website. The Cessna 340 II was selected because "we think is a very popular twin engine, there are few twins with pressurization capabilities, and we have access to it," they explained. Other products include the Beechcraft Bonanza V35, the the Cessna 152 II, and the the Mooney 201.

Summary

Carenado's Cessna 340 II is excellent visually inside and outside. Performance is as expected of an aircraft of its type. The manuals are well done, and the checklists are very useful. The instrument panel would be easier to use if all the instruments were clearly readable. Memory hunger is a problem because of the high visual detail and huge textures files. Users will need a high-capacity computer, or avoid using all the simulator's features, or both.

Bill Stack
billstack@flightsim.com


Learn More About Carenado's Cessna 340 II for FSX.

Bill Stack is author of several books about flight simulation, a regular author in flight-sim magazines, and a contributor to Flight Sim Com. His website is www.topskills.com