PIPER CHEROKEE 180F FS2004

I won't write quite as much text about this plane as my opinion of this plane is more or less the same as my opinion of the Carenado U206G Stationair II, so check out my long review of that plane! In short, this is a fantastic add-on, up to the usual super high quality standard of all Carenado products. It is a less complex plane that the Stationair II and most other Carenado models as it has a foxed pitch propeller, basic avionics and no autopilot. But that's why I bought this plane. When you want to just get up in the air, leave the throttle open and cruise along at 110kts, this is the plane to go for. I use it alongside the Stationair II for Freight Dog bush flying, using FS Cargo. If I'm doing a really short hop of less than 30nm, with minimal cargo, this is the plane I go for. The VC is absolutely superb on this plane and does not affect frame rates. The sound is throaty yet the engine does sound smaller than that on the Stationair which is realistic. climb speed is leisurely, as per the real Cherokee 180 and as the plane has no autopilot (most Cherokee's don't), you'll need good trimming and constant attention to hand fly the cruise and to get where you want to go. If you want a nice simple to operate plane that will make you smile in the VC and from the exterior view then I would highly recommend this.

There are many Cherokee varients available for flightsim, but this one certainly seems to rise above the others. The Virtual Cockpit is simply outstanding, it is the best general aviation VC I have seen yet, and it doesn't hurt framerates at the same time. The external textures are simply incredible, it's something that Carenado does very well. The flight dynamics are good as well as the sound, and this plane is just fun to fly. Just keep in mind it does have a slower cruise speed (110 kts or so?) so for those who like to go a bit quicker, perhaps check out the Carenado 210.

This is one of the greatest GA aircraft ever created for FS! There are many other Pipers on the market and buying this one might not be a consideration for those who own those others...but let me reassure you that this one is definitely worth the money! The VC is just as good, if not better than the 2D panel...which is saying alot if you are one who prefers your flying from the 3D cockpit. Flying this aircraft really give the impression that you are in the real thing. I just want to thank Carenado for a fantastic piece of work and encourage anyone who is interested in GA flying to take a chance on this one...you won't be disappointed!