Can I install the FS2004 Carenado M20J onto FSX?

Hey guys,

The Carenado Mooney M20J is currently on sale and is at a really, really good price! It may not be their best aircraft, but definitely worth the current price.

https://www.fspilotshop.com/carenado-mooney-201-m20j-fsx-p-1497.html

One thing I have noticed however is that it is a direct port from the FS2004, literally everything is the same.

https://www.fspilotshop.com/carenado-mooney-201-m20j-for-fs2004-p-1356.html

So the question is, could I half the cost of the package and still install it into FSX?

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The basic answer is maybe - the FS2004 model may work in FSX BUT you will likely have problems with some or all of the gauges not working correctly and possible how the plane 'handles' (ie its flight dynamcis/characteristics) in general - this is common with many other FS2004 based aircraft when used in FSX.

Although it is easy to assume that, by comparing the info supplied on the product page, the FSX model is a direct port over of the FS2004 version I think that you will find that is a wrong assumption - the two products have very different download sizes (33Mb for the FS2004 version and 52Mb for the FSX version) - this, to me, says that the FSX version has been fully updated to run in FSX and will include FSX native gauges, flight dynamics, effects, etc.

For the sake of saving a few dollars it is, IMO, not worth taking the risk that the FS2004 version will work correctly - get the FSX version.

EDIT

UPDATE - The FSX version is an updated model - see the following pages at JustFlight - which as you are in the UK may be a better place to buy the items price wise when you take into consideration the exchange rate, etc............

FS2004 Version - http://justflight.com/product/carenado-m-201-m20j-for-fs2004

FSX Version - http://justflight.com/product/carenado-m-201-m20j-for-fsx

Just get the FSX version; at that Price, it's a steal! And, it will run in FSX with no problems, whereas with the FS9 version you may have Issues, as Brian alluded to in his Post.

Alan :pilot:

Okay, thanks guys. I will also get it at JustFlight - I mentioned FSPilotShop before as it's the link this site has to on paywares. 🙂

Gonna buy it now! 😊

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You made me curious and since I haven't seen the old Mooney in a few years I tried it (the FS9 version in FSX) and it seemed to work OK. I didn't see any cockpit shadows, I don't think those work unless the .mdl is FSX-native, they might work in P3D though, haven't tried that yet. The nav lights blink really weird and fast and you can't see the landing light unless you're looking directly at the front of the acft. but other than that it seemed OK. Possibly the windows become opaque in rain, I didn't check that either. Using DX10 and the fixer of course. Also ReShade.

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/fs9_mooney_fsx01.jpg

Pretty nice airplane for $5 bucks! Looks like I paid $22.95 for it in Apr 2009. Really though for $3 bucks difference I'd just get the FSX version, in fact I might buy one myself.

Jim

You made me curious and since I haven't seen the old Mooney in a few years I tried it (the FS9 version in FSX) and it seemed to work OK. I didn't see any cockpit shadows, I don't think those work unless the .mdl is FSX-native, they might work in P3D though, haven't tried that yet. The nav lights blink really weird and fast and you can't see the landing light unless you're looking directly at the front of the acft. but other than that it seemed OK. Possibly the windows become opaque in rain, I didn't check that either. Using DX10 and the fixer of course. Also ReShade.

 

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/fs9_mooney_fsx01.jpg

 

Pretty nice airplane for $5 bucks! Looks like I paid $22.95 for it in Apr 2009. Really though for $3 bucks difference I'd just get the FSX version, in fact I might buy one myself.

 

Jim

Just bought it, love it! I'll probably replace the default Mooney Bravo in my FSPassengersX series. I've always liked Mooney aircraft, I'm glad I spotted the sale! 😊

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Check out my YouTube Channel for more Simulator and Gaming content!

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Flying it over a cloudy Isle of Wight. I'll definitely introduce it to my YouTube channel as the 'flagship' aircraft as I do love it! (Carenado Do228 is then the upgrade once I've flown enough in that series! :o)

I'll also give a shout to JustFlight (ooh, controversial! Not in partnership with flightsim.com! :rolleyes: ) who are selling it as a slightly cheaper price.

http://www.justflight.com/product/carenado-m-201-m20j-for-fsx

I'd like to get the Carenado because of all the repaints available in the library for it (More at AVSIM). However, the default FSX Mooney has more performance then the Carenado.

Is it possible to "soup up" a aircraft or is it hardwired into the model? Some of the Mooneys even came with Porsche engines :)

..........I'll also give a shout to JustFlight (ooh, controversial! Not in partnership with flightsim.com! :rolleyes: ) who are selling it as a slightly cheaper price............

As I alluded to in my original post, the difference in price is probably down to exchange rates...................

Also, for me (and probably many others), whilst I have brought a number of items from FSPilotShop I have also used many other vendors - a trend that I have done increasingly since the one thing I don't like about FSPilotShop is that the download link for the purchase is time limited and once it expires you have to pay a small fee to re-activate it. This is especially annoying for those items that are updated after the link expires.

Whelp, the FS9 Mooney didn't work worth beans in P3D, it loaded and flew but it didn't look great and it crashed the sim when I did something in the GPS (don't remember what it was). I scrounged up the $8.09 and bought the FSX version. That one works OK in P3D it seems, I did a test flight between 65S and KFCA (KGPI) which went well.

I decided I didn't like the electric blue windows so I made them slightly more transparent and turned them a smoked glass color. I think I did that with the FS9 version too back in the day IIRC. Here's the modified glass textures if anyone wants them, they just go in whichever texture folder(s) you want to change, back up the originals first in case you don't like them:

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/car_mooney_glass_textures.zip

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/fsx_mooney_p3d01.jpg

Spinner needs help, lol.

I like how I've brought a little life back into this old aircraft! [emoji23]

The Mooney M20 series is probably my all-time favorite light aircraft, I am really happy that the Carenado model went so cheaply on the sale! I've got one more pre-recorded video with the default Mooney to upload, then I'm making the switch on the series! (Tomorrow I recorded proper videos ready to upload a week ahead of time). [emoji4]

I'll try and get a few more screenshots in and post them here too once I have the time.

Nice job on the windows too! I think I'll also use them. Not sure if they are that blue in real life or Carenado did it to show a window is there, but yours does look much better.