Do your review now using our easy to fill Template - makes the whole thing a piece of cake!
Aircraft: Beech Duke B60 with panel & sounds
File name: pduke60.zip Get it here
Author(s): D Wasnich, A Swindle, M Verlin
Date Tested : July 30th 1999
Computer Specs
Make: Dell
Processor:PII 233
Ram:96m
Graphics Card (if any): None
Test Pilot: Pete Daly
Do you fly for Real? PPL
Aircraft
External View: (How does it look? Quality, realism, general feel, etc): Good accurate modeling. Not superb, but good. No moving parts.
Sounds (default or custom): Custom sounds which are good but take of most of the 3 meg file. The size of this file should have meant a better quality plane but it is the sounds that take up the space.
Panel Functionality (unless default used) (in %): 75%. Good for IFR flight but panel too high for good approach, obscuring forward view. I had to keep changing to full screen window to see the approaching runway. Panel started with scenery 'black band' at bottom.
Ground Handling (Aircraft): Good but seemed to bounce a bit. Not sure this may have been the scenery.
Where Tested: Windsor, Ontario to Detroit. IFR Flight with 1 mile visibility.
Landing Characteristics & Speed on final approach: Easy & fairly accurate flight characteristics. Nice gentle flare. About 80 kts ( I seem to remember)
Takeoff Characteristics & approx Speed: Good. Take off at around 90 kts. Good flight dynamics.
Other Remarks: This plane flies well, handles well & is a great plane for serious IFR practice. The panel is easy to read & contains all the necessary instruments to get from A to B accurately in poor visibility. On the down side - there is limited forward vision, especially on final approach which makes it necessary to go to full view just to see where you're going! The plane handles nicely. Not sure that the large files size is deserved. This is mainly caused by the sound files, which are good, but should really be offered as an optional download.
I did however enjoy flying this plane but due to these small short-comings, I would rate it 75% satisfactory.
© simviation.com 1999