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/images/notams/notams19/anto0509.jpgChangelog v1.1.0.0 For Prepar3D V4 version onlyImplemented aircraft global condition; each airplane with unique board number will have own persistent condition of its engine, fuel system, electric system, lighting system, gauges, switches, etc.Improved engine simulation: a water in a fuel and a metal chip in the oil will affect the engine's workCold start will cause engine power lossFixed engine startup if the magnetos has been switched offFixed assertion in the fuel tank selectorFixed crash after several flight restartsFixed the sound of the starter when the battery became discharged during spinning of the flywheelImproved radio logic - increased stabilityStarter switch will stick to "clutch" position to help a pilot to engage magnetos by mouse to start engine more authenticallyAdded lamp that signalize when the passenger door is openedTuned engine startup probability in cold weather conditionsAdded sound for oil cowlAdded cargo door logicAdded maintenance panel (shift-2) to maintain engine/fuel/electric/lighting systemsImproved support of LINDAImplemented simulation of CHTImplemented heater to start engine in cold conditionsReduced lag of the manifold pressure readingImproved slats behaviorAdded a flying pet to the cockpitAdded military version of An-2 and VKS liveryNew Aeroflot livery USSR-92962Modelled passenger cabinModelled cargo cabinMore authentic cockpit of SP-ASRPartially implemented ICOM IC-A210 for SP-ASR cockpitAntonov AN-2The Antonov An-2 (also known as Anushka or Colt) is a very strangeaircraft. Designed as an agricultural and utility aircraft, it endedup doing almost anything an aircraft could do, from crop dusting, toparachute dropping. It can land on short, unpaved runways, willsurvive the harshest winter and the most gruelling summer and endurethe heaviest abuse. No wonder that it was build up to 2001 eventhough it looks very much like the 1950s aircraft it is. And those looks are spectacular. It's a massive, single enginebi-plane. As you walk closer it seems to get bigger and bigger untilyou are under the cockpit and look up to the massive radialengine. Take care here, oils leaking out is standard. To make it work off-airport the An-2 needs to be simple and easy tomaintain. So, there are no complex system - but there are a lot ofsimple systems. The cockpit is a sea of switches making learning tofly an An-2 not an easy task. This version for P3D depicts that complexity in great detail. Youwill have to click a lot of switches and wiggle a lot of controls toget the engine to run smoothly. With an impeccable flight model youwill be soon cruising the skies at a leisurely pace while dropping oiland making an incredible racket. It is a lovely aircraft! /images/notams/notams17/anto1214.pngFeaturesComplex modelling with many animations with up-to-date standardsFPS friendlyService window with special tools to manage ground operationsFully functional systems, like inertia starter, electrical circuits for flaps, trims and cowl flaps with special modules to avoid P3D limitationsAxis and key modes to manage specific air powered breaking system of An-2High definition virtual cockpit with Cyrillic and international labelsHighly realistic flight model, based on information from and tested by actual An-2 pilotsPhysically correct tail wheel Purchase Aerosoft - Antonov An-2 for P3D v4
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Antonov An-2Publisher: AerosoftReview Author: Meng YuSuggested Price: $32.99/images/fsc/wbicons/store-buy-now-button.pngThe Antonov Design Bureau hascertainly brought alive some of the most spectacular examples ofaircraft, from the space shuttle ferries to the world's largestturboprop aircraft. The Antonov An-2 was neither of those things. Itwas a small biplane, unremarkable at first glance. Yet despite so, theAn-2 has proven itself to be a reliable workhorse over the years, andin fact holds the record for the longest production run of anyaircraft, at 45 years. The aircraft was so popular that it evenattracted the attention of the Chinese. A clone, under the name Y-5,was also manufactured by the Harbin Aircraft Company, amounting toover 700 examples constructed. As for the Soviet version, over 18,000of these aircraft were built, with 622 involved in hull-lossaccidents, a number that might be surprising to some. The aircraft remains in use by several operators worldwide andseveral thousand of these aircraft remain in service. Despite the thousands of An-2s still in service, I still lack thepleasure to have witnessed one in person. Thankfully for others insimilar predicaments as myself, Aerosoft and OctopusG has released anAn-2 add-on for FSX, FSX Steam Edition, and P3D. InstallationThe download and installation process for this An-2 was fairlystraightforward, though the download is fairly sizable. After thedownload, the installation process is simple and all you require isyour email address and serial key. ExteriorUpon installation of the add-on, the aircraft may be located underthe publisher "OctopusG" or under manufacturer "Antonov". The defaultpackage comes with four liveries, three Russian and onePolish. Despite this aircraft having a massive production run, it doesseem like the current selection of four liveries is all that the aircraftmay possess. There is a paint kit bundled with the FS Pilot Shopdownload, although I have yet to see too many liveries of thisaircraft around the web. Perhaps more will be uploaded as more usersgain access to a paint kit(Find freeware repaints). /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/liveries_1.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/liveries_2.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/liveries_3.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/liveries_4.jpgNonetheless, despite the lack of liveries (there's only one flyablelivery if you want to fly with an English cockpit), there are otherappeals to the model. Various static elements can be seen on the planewhen the appropriate button is pressed on the aircraft controlpanel. The propeller is also animated to follow the option of"hand-turning" it in order to transfer the oil from the cylinders tothe oil sump for removal. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-41-26-817.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-41-37-964.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-41-57-437.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-42-18-448.jpgPerhaps the biggest selling point for the exterior is the amount ofdetail it manages to convey whilst still maintaining very good framerates. Switching from the default Cessna 172 to this aircraft, thereis almost no drop in the frame rates I experience. Individual rivetsare modelled, and so are various static elements, including engine andpitot covers, so this aircraft manages to convey more detail withoutany significant loss in performance over default aircraft. However, this performance does cost the user some of the aestheticappeals other products may possess. For example, this aircraft doesn'tpossess reflections and shine like other aircraft, although perhapsthe developers wished to simulate an old aircraft, in which case thelack of reflections will be more appropriate. InteriorMoving onto the interior, you'll likely find that you can'tunderstand a single gauge, knob or switch. Unless you understandRussian, you may want to start off flying using the Polish "SP-ASR"livery, which has its cockpit mostly translated to English. Some knobsremain in Russian, though. Maybe the Polish pilots understood enoughRussian to know what that bright red knob did, who knows? Nonetheless, I was able to get used to setting up the An-2 fairlyquickly (mostly just involving flipping all the switches in sight tothe "ON" position), and then found little to no difficulty in flyingthe Russian liveries. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-42-58-421.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-43-13-80.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-43-30-195.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-43-4-402.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-43-6-462.jpgThe textures in the cockpit are similar to the quality we've cometo expect of a company such as Aerosoft, with crisp, clear texturesthat are easy on the system. In fact, I was hard-pressed to notice anydrops in frame rate when flying this aircraft versus flying default,something I cannot attest to when using other products. Besides that, Aerosoft has also included several other tidbits,including a functional window (both pilot and co-pilot), and mostimportantly, a working fan, along with custom sounds. Now, with mostclaims by the developer, such as flight model authenticity andrealistic sounds, I have no concrete way of verifying them withoutphysical access to the aircraft. However, though testing with mymini-desk fan, I can confirm that this fan is realistic-sounding. Moving on, knobs. Well, and switches too. The An-2 was designedwith (in Aerosoft's words) "no complex system - but a lot of simplesystems". This creates a cockpit with a sea of switches and knobs, alllocated on the front panel or by the side, with no overhead panel atall. Almost every switch you see is modelled and clickable, whichlends itself to a very daunting looking cockpit when you first settlein. Nonetheless, I found it helpful to view most of these switches ascircuit breakers, since they mainly serve as switches to turn on oroff various aircraft systems, from the flap actuators to engine cowlflaps. In short, despite the number of switches, the aircraft is veryeasy to operate, just switch everything on. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-43-45-399.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-44-19-621.jpgBesides the visuals, there are also several simulated failuresincluded with the product. Failure to follow proper startup procedurescan result in an early end to your flight. According to the AircraftOperations Manual (AOM), the following failures are simulated: Engine failure: Fail to do manual rotation of propeller (button5): 20% possibility to fail after startEngine Failure: User sees message "Water!" after sump drainprocedure 6 - 10 seconds hold): 5% possibility of engine, repeatdraining to remove waterEngine Failure: Engine overheat when conditions applyPitot Fail: If airplane has speed less than 60 km/h more than 10minutes (failure will happen in 10-20 minutes range)Lights Failure: If landing lights work more than 8 minutes(failure will happen in 8-16 minutes range)Pictured below are the failures I managed to "create", namly thefailures of the landing lights and engine. For demonstration purposes,of course. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_10-5-47-772.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_10-6-5-964.jpgThis is an excellent touch to the aircraft that isn't veryfrequently seen on other add-ons. In fact, in my experience, theengine has failed when I tried to engage the starter flywheel evenwhen it's already running. The unpredictability of these failuresreally does add additional challenges to flying this aircraft. Nonetheless, the sounds in the cockpit can be a little buggy attimes. For example, the inertia starter switch can sometimes glitchand play the sound of an already spinning inertia wheel immediately(as opposed to playing of the wheel spinning up and readying a steadyhum). Another interesting fact I uncovered was that if the starterswitch was held to the "Spin-Up" position, and the mouse moved up ordown, the sound of the wheel spinning up from being stationary wouldplay again, despite the other gauges indicating no changes in velocityof the wheel itself. Another interesting observation is that the autopilot disconnectbeep usually found on an airliner is heard when pressing "Z" twicewhilst in the cockpit view. However, I was unsuccessful in finding anyreference to an autopilot system in this An-2 after a quick searchonline. Perhaps the developers originally intended for this aircraftto come with an autopilot system? All things considered though, I have to say that Aerosoft hasreally done a fantastic job recreating the An-2's cockpit, withhigh-quality textures, attention to detail including the functioningcockpit fan and a vast array of aircraft systems. Flight DynamicsTo test the flight dynamics of this aircraft, I flew severaltraffic patterns around my local airport with it. Being a slowaircraft, I felt that this was an excellent way to get a feel for thedynamics of the aircraft. I loaded the aircraft up at the parkingapron, and used the included "Cold and Dark" function to get theappropriate panel state. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_10-8-22-360.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_10-8-9-626.jpgSettling into the cockpit, I first turned on the air system for thebrakes to work, before going through the startup procedure, whichconsisted mostly of flipping every switch to the "On" position, beforeopening the cowl flaps and energizing the starter flywheel. The enginecoughed and sputtered into life before idling smoothly. I tested the controls before moving off, using only differentialbraking to steer the aircraft as the tail wheel on the An-2 isunsteerable. Nonetheless, Aerosoft has included a helpful taxiing viewin the virtual cockpit, so I didn't have to make a series of S-turnswhilst taxiing to get my bearings. Soon enough, I got to the runway and advanced the throttlesforward. In almost no time at all, I found the aircraft airborne andclimbing out at approximately 200 meters per minute (the gauges in theAn-2 all use the metric system). The gauges initially took somegetting used to, since most of the aircraft I've flown so far has usedfeet for altitude and knots for airspeed. In fact, Aerosoft hasexplicitly mentioned this in their AOM, even going as far as statingthat "the metric system makes a lot more sense than any other systemof measurements!". As someone who grew up using the metric system, Ido concur. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-52-49-924.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-53-38-219.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-54-14-242.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-54-19-184.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-54-2-989.jpgAfter a quick cruise at 300 meters (approximately 1000 feet), I made aturn onto base and final for the runway. In fact, as the turn radiusfor the aircraft is so tight, I turned too tightly for the runway andhad to make a couple of adjustments. After that, I lowered the flapsand prepared for approach. On approach, the aircraft handled very similarly as it had duringcruise. Even as I experimented with slowing it to around 30 knots(observed using the SHIFT+Z Red text), the aircraft wasn't noticeablymore difficult to handle. However, I did have to take note of thedescent rate of the aircraft, as the aircraft tends to descend toofast as it slows down. /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-56-5-927.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-57-17-925.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-57-42-1.jpg /images/reviews/aeroan-2/t/2018-2-13_9-58-28-170.jpgTouching down at just over 40 knots, I came to a quick stop andturned off the runway. This has indeed been an enjoyable flight. TheAn-2 is very easy to fly, though not to taxi, and would indeed be anexciting aircraft for any flight simmer, beginner or veteran. DocumentationAerosoft has provided several manuals for the aircraft, fromAircraft Operations Manuals (AOM), flight manuals (in Englishthankfully), flight guides and checklists. These manuals give a rathercomprehensive picture on how to operate the An-2, as well as explainin-depth the systems that Aerosoft has modelled into the aircraft. If you're not a fan of reading, there is a plethora of YouTubevideos that explain how to work the aircraft as well. ConclusionIn the end, the Aerosoft An-2 is definitely a well-modelled and funaircraft to fly. In my experience, save for a couple of bugs with thesound of the aircraft (despite a clean reinstall), the rest of theaircraft performs reasonably well. At its current price, I'd say thatit's a competitive product compared to the likes of other generalaviation aircraft available. However, when purchasing this product, you should note that theproduct has arguably less visual features, though it more than makesup for it in terms of the additional features such as built-in failuresimulation. /images/notams/notams17/anto1214.jpgMeng Yu Purchase Aerosoft - Antonov An-2