I did not expect to buy a new Cessna 172, with two good ones in the sim already, plus Baglou’s awesome modded versions.
However, Carenado has done an original model: 1950’s cockpit (with a GPS and autopilot retrofitted), straight tail etc. For the price, I figured what the heck. Looks great, flew well in my limited test flights (once I realized I was taking off a 7000-foot airport and adjusted the mixture), and sounds pretty good.
Only issue I’ve had is the autopilot has killed me by suddenly flying me into the ground twice. Not sure if that’s an FS2024 SU3 issue, the plane, or what. Hand-flying has been fine.
Admittedly, we may have a glut of single-engine Cessnas at this point. This formation is missing a bunch of them that Airshow Assistant didn’t pick up.
Jonathan Beckett gave it a good workout on YouTube (sorry, can’t seem to post a working link, weirdness)
My initial reaction was, I don’t think this one is for me, another Cessna … But after watching the video, I could be persuaded It looks nice, seems to fly ok, no major issues. It’s a cute little plane! He does seem to find it’s a little handful, especially at slow speeds, which I thought was surprising: apparently the real aircraft was supposed to be really docile and easy.
I do wish Carenado would do a few 2024 specific updates to their older 2020 planes now, like the Seminole et al. They do work in 2024, but I feel some 2024 native tweaks would be welcome.
I’ll admit right away that I’m biased as this is a very similar model to a 172 I have a ton of time in, but this thing is pure joy for me. It looks nice. It sounds nice. It flies nice. It smells nice. I recommend it. It’s a little too wing-droppy in the stall and has a bit too much ground effect but generally flies like the lighter, earlier 172 it should.
I don’t have either the autopilot or reversed trim issues in SU3 with my Alpha/Bravo
Carenado’s C170 was one of my favorite “easy” aircraft in 2020 and this is a faithful replacement for 2024. I dig a taildragger, but the tricycle is a pretty nice evolutionary progression.
I love the early styling, the early instrument panel, and the great selection of period-esque liveries.
Having the selection of optional GPS units and an autopilot (unlike the C170) are really nice for IFR and convenience.
I know this is kinda silly, but I also love that I can open a window, have it stay open, and not overstress the aircraft.
Carenado’s modeling is always so nice, and this is no exception.
I only had a very brief flight in it yesterday evening (I seem to have no time for flying lately, grrr…), and I noted real improvements to the flight model over other Carenado aircraft I’ve flown in both 2020 and 2024. The rudder, for example, is actually needed to stay coordinated in a turn. I liked how it flew and felt.
I’m fairly sure this will see a significant amount of use from me, as its precursor did in 2020.
With the plane being modular using the attachment system in 24, I bet someone could edit it much like that one mod to stick a GPS and autopilot in the 185. Personally I’d love to see the KLN 90B in the 172, integrated with nothing
You can always tweak your Nvidia settings for MSFS 2024 to adjust the gamma a bit to brighten up really dark areas. Looks like your defaults are significantly darker than mine with the 172. I don’t have any issues seeing stuff. (And I’d much rather tweak some graphics settings than have to go back to the 2020 flight model.)
My monitor is calibrated as I need it for photo editing. Black and white levels are accurate. But I will check if I can easily toggle the NVIDIA tweak you mentioned.
I’m fine with 2020 and use 2024 only for water operations or special aircraft I don’t have in 2020.
Actually, tweaking the Nvidia settings will also change the color balance for your photo editing, so not the best option for your circumstance.
There’s a setting in MSFS, though, that you can use to brighten things up. Default works fine for my hardware/monitor setup, but I played with it and was able to brighten the darker areas without blowing out the rest of the imagery, so hopefully this can help.
If your video card supports it, turning on “RTX Dynamic Vibrance” in the Nvidia app could possibly help as well, and it won’t affect your non-gaming apps.
Yeah, I have the red lighting, but it doesn’t do a very good job illuminating the instruments.
I see a light in the whiskey compass, and perhaps incorrectly assumed that the instruments would also have lighting. It would seem awfully peculiar if Cessna back light the compass and no other instruments. The C170 had backlit instruments.
I was sort of expecting the other rheostat to control the instruments along with the avionics bezel controls lights.
It looks nice, seems to fly ok, no major issues. It’s a cute little plane! He does seem to find it’s a little handful, especially at slow speeds, which I thought was surprising: apparently the real aircraft was supposed to be really docile and easy.
