Details yes! Click in for more than meets the eye.
|
INTRODUCTION
Lou Betti's DreamFleet 2000
development group has just released the not-so-long awaited Cessna 182 Skylane S default panel replacement. Why "not-so-long" awaited? I think because they had already been busily working on this far before the initial announcements. In any event, this panel took me somewhat by storm as I learned of it only a few weeks ago.
Simply, it's a dream! Having been lucky enough to rent a real brand new 182S at a local airport, I jumped into this panel ready to pick it apart if need be. Nothing to pick at! It looks real enough. All the parts are to scale. The entire panel looks as if it could have come from FLY!.
Picture Perfect! It's all there and it looks great. Click to "climb in" closer.
|
Now first of all a big panel that's loaded with details like this has to have a catch. The frame rate will suffer right? I was wrong. After clicking on the panel (you hear CLICKS now!) and getting her started up, I was ready for the frame rate test. Oh, in my excitement I have to mention the fuel pump has an electric sound also! Hee hee. Anyway, I was at London Heathrow renting the Skylane on a blustery, windy day. My taxi was going to be hard with a strong south wind. Just knowing a harsh wind was battering me prepared me for frame rate trouble. There was none! My frame rates were as steady in the turns as when out of them. And to top that off, I think my frame rates with this panel were no worse than in the default 182. But heck, I don't really know, and won't be going back to the old panel to see!
A new corner view looks good, but is slightly off kilter.
|
FLYING THE NEW 182
The true test came in a quick scenic tour around downtown London. It was so windy and turbulent using real weather, I could barely keep her on track down the river. Anywhere below 1500 feet was a "slop and drop" kind of day! But she flew great! The new flight model that comes with the panel felt about the same as the default flight model. To me, that's fine. I found nothing out of the ordinary. But back to the panel. All was good. All was smooth.
'nother corner view. Nicely done with a slightly odd perspective.
|
I used the panel for about an hour, flying around, landing at London City Airport and then flying back to LHR. My only complaint about the panel is that it was too large and too great in size and I had to use it by pulling it down about an inch on my 21" screen in order to feel as if I'm looking over the panel a little better. I am also one of the few that like to fly in .50 zoom due to my disbelief that the default zoom in FS2000 is accurate when out the front. Due to this, I can not see as well over the panel. I must admit that the default zoom will allow a better panel balance with a full screen behind the panel. Since flying the real C182, or any plane for that matter, you really never see the panel as you are seeing it here. I guess if panels were made as a real pilot views them, you may only see the glareshield pad and the view outside.
Two days after making this review, Lou Betti was kind enough to "dummy slap" me and tell me to read the docs! I found out he had indeed included a virtual pilot view that is more of what you'd see while flying. Pressing the [5] down view key will toggle up a Pro Pilot or Flight Unlimited style half panel view, with the top three gauges showing, and the top of the instrument panel pad. This is an astounding surprise!
The entire DreamFleet 2000 panel is 10 meg and downloads quickly here on FlightSim.Com. From there you run the DreamFleet 2000 Manager program to install this and other new panels they develop. It works very well and automatically installs the new 182 panel and makes backups of the old. It's a nice interface and should not scare anyone. When you first select the new 182 (do not have FS2000 startup mode using the original 182 or the panel will come up stretched like taffy) you will be shown a big screen advertising DreamFleet with an "enter here" window. When you click on the window you'll be in your new 182. I personally don't mind this, for a free product of this quality I can not complain. It doesn't take any time to go through it and you can disable it if you want to.
Don't forget the red glow of a night flight. Zoom in for a full view here!
|
CONCLUSION
There is not much more to say. For the first time I am using a high-res, ultra-detailed and realistically built panel without fuss. Normally I use products several days before reviewing them, but this one seemed so good I just thought I'd do up my review right now! I have a full replacement of the default C182 panel that is much nicer, combines all the full IFR stuff in one view and does not degrade frame rates. It comes with new corner art that works well. I prefer the default 182 side art, but kind of like the front corners of this panel better, despite an odd viewing angle. The beauty and clarity (I run in 1280x1024) of the main panel is a sight to behold and I can only get giddy when thinking of their new 737 panel that's being developed. Here's a great quality add-on panel that costs nothing, is fully worth $24.95, and will put any payware Cessna 182 panel to shame. The DreamFleet's first entry into the add-on arena is a big hit, and judging from our download count, their labor of love is paying off.
I'll give the DreamFleet 2000 Cessna 182S Panel a 97
out of 100.
Details yes! Click in for more than meets the eye.
Picture Perfect! It's all there and it looks great. Click to "climb in" closer.
Don't forget the red glow of a night flight. Zoom in for a full view here!