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C177 Cardinal IIPublisher: AlabeoReview Author: Stuart McGregorSuggested Price: $28.95/images/fsc/wbicons/store-buy-now-button.png /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_44.jpgThe AircraftThe Cessna 177 Cardinal on offer fromAlabeo is modelled on the single engine, variable prop, high winglight aircraft introduced in 1967. The real-life aircraft was producedfor ten years and more than 4000 units were built during the productionrun. The concept of the C177 was to develop a more modern replacementfor the ever-popular Cessna 172, with both fixed and retractablelanding gear being provided. One of the most striking differences isthe lack of wing struts, providing an unobstructed view from thepilot's seat. This review looks at the Alabeo's recent release forX-Plane 11, v1.1, although for any X-Plane users still on X-Plane 10,the good news is that there is also a version available for theprevious version of the sim. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_14.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_15.jpgGetting StartedIn my humble opinion, the purchase price of $29.95 is prettycompetitive considering you are actually getting two models with yourpurchase. The kind folks over at Alabeo have included both the fixed(177B) and retractable (177RG) landing gear variants in the download,although it took me a little while to work that out. Why you ask?Well, the variants are accessed via the livery option menu, which atfirst glance wasn't totally obvious, well that is my excuse at least!I will come back to that later. I purchased my copy over at http://www.alabeo.com (other outlets areavailable), and as with most sites of this nature, there is a gooddescription of the features provided, what is included in the packageand also the minimum system requirements. At 339 MB, it is a fairlysizeable download (450 MB unzipped), and based on the descriptionprovided, to get the best out of your prospective purchase, you willneed a system with a decent CPU (i5 or equivalent, 2.5 GHz or better),8 GB or RAM and GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_16.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_17.jpgInstallation is straightforward; simply unzip the downloaded fileand drag and drop it into your Aircraft folder. The first time youstart the C177, you will be required to enter a license key, howeverthis is provided with the download and only takes a couple of minutesto enter and activate. I had no issues and off I went. Various documents are provided, and these include a variety ofprocedures, reference documents and recommended joystick and graphicssettings for X-Plane 11. For this review, I did follow the designer'sadvice with respect to Visual Effects, Texture Quality andAntialiasing, so I believe my observations and experience are a fairreflection of what others might experience. One thing I didn't do, wascrank up the Reflection Detail as suggested, as I found this totallykilled my frame rates. Throughout my test it was left at Minimal. Forreference, my own system consists of an Intel i7 5820K 3.3 Ghz CPU, aGTX1080Ti 11 GB GPU and 32 GB Kingston RAM. I also have a number ofSaitek panels and 3 x 27" screens, and my test flights were allcarried out in and around a small rural airstrip: Longside Airfield(EGPS), which is just north of my home town airport of EGPD. All testswere carried out using X-Plane 11.26. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_18.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_19.jpg Initial ThoughtsHaving previously purchased a number of aircraft from the Alabeostable back in my X-Plane 10 days (including the C177 Cardinal), I wasexpecting to find an aircraft of high quality, and well modelled interms of appearance, features and handling. The good news is that themove over to X-Plane 11 hasn't changed this, and I was extremelypleased with what I found as I got reacquainted with the C177. As mentioned, the C177 comes with two variants, and thereforeprovides something a little different to many of the single engineoptions available. The different options can be accessed from theX-Plane start up menu by selecting the relevant livery (_R option),however they can also be assessed when in the sim and even duringflight. This can be done via the pop out panel on the left of thescreen via the livery options section. In the pop out, you will alsofind the Bendix/King Autopilot panel, Camera Views / Volume Control aswell as a menu that allows you to change a number of details calledOptions. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_20.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_21.jpgThese include the ability to add and remove features such as windowand instrument reflections, fairings, and allows you to open and closevarious doors on the aircraft from this panel. Eight liveries (USA, Germany and France) and a blank white textureare provided, and three of these, (marked _R) allow you to fly the variantwith the retractable landing gear. As I said it took me a littlewhile to work this out as it wasn't totally obvious at first, but anice feature nevertheless. Looking from the outside, the C177 is well proportioned and has avery authentic feel about it. The textures are well presented, and asyou walk around the aircraft you really do get a feeling you aredealing with a high-quality product. From the rivets and screw heads,through to the fuel tank covers, radio antennae, landing gear details,lights, trim tab, etc., everything looks the part! The smoothness ofmovement in the various control surfaces was also excellent, howeverone of the most noticeable differences from the earlier X-Plane 10model is the improved sounds. With the introduction of FMOD, thesounds in this new release are rich and authentic, and the way thetone changes as you walk around the exterior really adds to therealism. I also enjoyed the view looking into the cockpit from theoutside, as it was possible to see a highly detailed pilot, as well asthe various instruments. From an exterior perspective, this aircraftis certainly up there with the best of those available on the marketat the moment, and out of 10, in my opinion it easily merits an8/9. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_22.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_23.jpgStepping inside the C177 and taking your seat behind the controls,you will find a very well-presented cockpit area and cabin. Thetextures of the interior are very well done (I really liked the blackpanel facia), and the various dials are clear and easy to read. Thedoors can be opened from the pop out panel (as mentioned earlier) andalso from within the cabin, as can the half panel windows on each ofthe doors, and when opened, the change in sound is noticeablydifferent; a nice feature, which adds to the overall realism. You willalso find a couple of different internal color schemes as you swapbetween the liveries, and in both cases the texturing isexcellent. The changes include seat covers, carpets, hand holds,ashtray covers, warning labels, foot pedals... I could go on and on.The individual sun visors can be moved up and down as you wish, and ifI wanted to be pedantic, having the option to move things like airvents would have been nice (I have seen this feature in some othermodels). As I said though, I am being pedantic... /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_34.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_38.jpgWhen you manipulate the various switches, you get a clear 'click'as you toggle each one from on to off, although to me it did seem alittle 'tinny', but that is just my own personal opinion and doesn'treally detract that much from the overall effect. In saying that, Ienjoyed the flap change sounds as you go through the motions, and Ireally appreciated the fact that my Saitek panels worked as is, withno need for additional scripts! The view of the outside world using my3 x 27" panels was pretty good, allowing me to get a good view fromthe pilot seat without too many obstructions from the window framesand glare shield. Little things like this make all the difference,and I really do like it when things just work out of the box! Out of10, I can easily give the interior an 8/9. HandlingWhile taxiing and taking off, I found the C177 to be very smoothand easy to control when using my CH Pedals and Saitek TPM unit. Turnswere simple to execute, and braking was also smooth and progressiveand not too abrupt. During take-off I was able to maintain a steadyline until the magic moment, and then up I went. Overall, I was prettyhappy with the way the aircraft handled, both during taxiing, take-offand landing, and the C177 was definitely on par with many of the othertop end aircraft out there. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_26.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_27.jpgIn the air, my test flights were equally as pleasurable, andmanoeuvring the C177 (both variants) around the sky was a thoroughlyenjoyable experience. Turns again were smooth and effortless, and theview out the front and side windows was fabulous; the lack of wingstruts definitely makes a difference. The Bendix/King auto pilotfunctioned well, and I was able to control the aircraft with ease andlittle effort. I should also mention that the C177 also comes with aGarmin GNS 530 navigation unit, so it should have enough electronicgizmos for those who are looking for a bit more than just the basicinstrument set. Out of 10, again a very healthy 8/9. Final ThoughtsSingle engine aircraft of this type are by nature generally easierand less complicated to fly than their larger multi engine cousins,and to be honest for me at least, this is why I enjoy flying them somuch. But please don't be put off by the lack of engines, size, orbristling electronics, as this doesn't necessarily mean less enjoymentfor the end user. This is certainly the case with the Cessna 177Cardinal from Alabeo. The level of detail on offer, along with thehigh quality of the product, both aesthetically and from a performanceperspective, means that the package on offer really is worthconsidering if you are looking for a step up from your favorite C172.The fact that the package also includes two variants is an additionalbonus, adding a cherry to an already fine cake. The Alabeo team havecreated a very nice product in the shape of the C177 and the recenttransfer over to X-Plane 11 has really brought the best out of theaircraft. /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_28.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_29.jpgOverall, I'd have to rate the C177 from Alabeo, an 8 or even 9 outof 10! If you're looking for a slightly more sophisticated weekenderthan the venerable C172, the C177 Cardinal might just be the one foryou. Stuart McGregor Purchase Alabeo - C177 Cardinal For X-Plane C177 Liveries Included C177 Liveries /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_1.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_2.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_3.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_4.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_5.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_6.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_7.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_9.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_10.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_11.jpg C177 Interior Views Additional C177 Interior Views /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_33.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_24.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_35.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_36.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_37.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_25.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_39.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_40.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_41.jpg /images/reviews/alab177b/t/c177b_42.jpgStuart McGregor Purchase Alabeo - C177 Cardinal For X-Plane
