Cessna C404 Titan Alabeo

Gear bay detail is simple but has good textures and a little structural detailing. There is a taxi light mounted on the nose gear leg and like the main landing lights has a poor light source. Exterior texture sets are very well defined HD textures with very nice detailing and alignment. They are both bump and specular mapped giving good effects to panels, rivet lines, fixings etc. The package comes with 5 color schemes. Appraisal - Interior Model: The Virtual Cockpit of the model is very nicely modelled / textured with very good detailing on the instrument panel, console, CB’s / switch panels, and the throttle / flap selector control quadrant. The instruments on the panel are very easily read with clear fonts and crisp dials. They have good depth between the bezel glass and dial plates. The Avidyne Multifunction Display and Wx radar displays have very crisp / clear character sets and smooth graphical movement. Engine instrumentation is via conventional needle indications which again have crisp graphics, smooth movement and are easily readable. The Comm / NAV / ADF / XPDR & GNS450 control heads are very well modelled and their apperance is just like the real units. The Avidyne Multifunction Display unit in the central area of the panel can display Wx Radar, Terrain, & TCAS as well as general mapping etc. In the center console below the throttle quadrant is an AP control panel which seems to operate as you would expect. Other Annunciator Panels, auxiliary switch panels etc. located in and around the main panel are equally as well modelled. Rudder pedals, control quadrants, trim wheels etc. are again very well modelled. The virtual cockpit interior trim, crew seats, side panelling etc. is again nicely modelled and textured with the crew seats having cloth covered cushions and three point safety harnesses. The cockpit side window on the port side of the cockpit opens through a hot spot over the latch and there are hingeable anti-glare panels on the forward cockpit windows. Also through keystrokes ‘Shift 4’ you can select cockpit windshield tint and instrument reflections, wheel chocks, door functions etc. nice feature. ‘Shift 5’ displays the pop-up window key shifts and ‘Shift 6’ brings up the aircraft config menu for cold & dark start / ready for take-off options. m a g a z i n e Review Aircraft Cessna C404 Titan Alabeo Review Aircraft Review 2 FSPilot The nose section, cockpit windshield area, nose baggage bays, aircraft ground tug, pitot blanks, cones etc. are all very well defined in this package. The shaping of the engine cowlings in particular the intakes are very well defined. The same can be said for the propeller and its cone. The sections of the cowlings are also very well detailed, with smooth contours / top louvre vents. Pity they didn’t animate the baggage bays. Opening cabin doors / cockpit window have excellent detailing including curtains. Animation is very smooth with no bleed when closed! 3 Aircraft Review Review This front view of the cessna 404 Titan shows off the great smooth curvatures that Alabeo always seems to achieve in their modelling. The bump mapping of panel lines, fixings etc. also adds to the realism of the model. This view shows the bottom of the wings, the main landing gear and the flap area of which the level of detailing through structure as well as the very impressive HD texture sets shows the lengths that this developer goes to in order to achieve the final product. The subtle weathering is also typical of Alabeo’s modelling. If you didn’t know better you would think this was a real photo. The modelling is very authentic in its appearance with great detail. Review Aircraft Review 4 This view shows the very nice profile of the Cessna 404 with its long nose and extended cabin. This view shows off the equally great detailing of the lower section and the rear of the aircraft through the texture sets which include bump mapping of panel lines and rivets.. This view shows off the great detailing of the fuselage panel lines and the main cabin door. The vertical fin detailing is also very impressive. m a g a z i n e Review Aircraft Cessna C404 Titan Alabeo 5 Aircraft Review Review FSPilot The passenger cabin is decked out with cloth covered seating and the wall / ceiling panelling etc. are modelled / textured to Alabeo’s very high standards. Night lighting in both the cockpit and cabin gives a realistic night environment, great work. Appraisal - Flying the Cessna 404 Titan: The aircraft is relatively simple to operate in its basic functions with simple procedures for engine start etc. Procedures are detailed in various pdf files supplied along with a guide to the Avidyne Multifunction Display / Weather radar units. Engine start-up is as realistic as the real aircraft with good start up engine sounds in the exterior environment, though in the cockpit the sound set for the engines is a little weak. Taxying the aircraft is simple with turns easily maintained. During take-off acceleration is good when compared to videos of real aircraft, with the engine sounds also being reasonably realistic during take-off. The aircraft climbs very well and is easily trimmed. Handling of the aircraft is again smooth with good reaction rates to control column inputs. The aircraft handles well in all flight regimes, being very nice to fly. The aircraft’s stall is nicely reproduced with a good stall warning. Handling on approach was good and even at slow approach speeds the aircraft is stable and doesn’t over react to control inputs. Braking action was very positive on landing. The aircraft systems all appear to operate as intended, including the autopilot which was checked on various Nav tracks and using the APR function. The aircraft flew the ball as you would expect down to decision height as long as the approach was captured at recommended distances. We did not check short or steep angle captures. Overall the aircraft flies very nicely indeed and performs well. Though the sound set is a little weak especially in the cockpit. Appraisal - Our Findings: Overall Alabeo’s rendition of the Cessna 404 Titan is to a very high standard of quality, both inside and outside as we have come to expect from this developer. If there is any issues regarding this product then its probably the sound set which needs to be a little more realistic internally as mentioned, though its not that big an issue unless of course you are a perfectionist at all levels. Overall we give this product our gold seal for its quality and value for money. Visit the Alabeo site for product purchase. www.alabeo.com m a g a z i n e Review Aircraft Cessna C404 Titan Alabeo Review Aircraft Review 6 FSPilot The modelling of the office is excellent to say the least. Great detailing of the instruments and radio units. All with very clear to read fonts at all ambient conditions and all very functional. m a g a z i n e Review Aircraft Cessna C404 Titan Alabeo 7 Aircraft Review Review FSPilot Review Aircraft Review 8 m a g a z i n e Review Aircraft Cessna C404 Titan Alabeo FSPilot The main cabin is also very well defined, with cloth covered seating and nicely textured walls and panels. Looks comfortable!