Cessna 208 Grand Caravan - DGS Series XP

This exceptional model is part of Thranda's "Dynamic Generation Series" and included two models in one product:

• C208 Caravan 675
• C208 Grand Caravan

Both planes come with passenger and cargo versions.

NEW: Free Expansion Pack added to the C208 (v1.1):

• New Seaplane versions of the Caravan 675 and Grand Caravan, including plain floats and amphibious floats
• New: G1000 as an option in the dynamic panel, including optional synthetic vision system
• Additional options to the landplane: Tundra tires, mud guards, seating presets, toggleable cargo version

Special features:

• FULLY configurable 3D instrument panel
• Over 50 instruments to choose from! (Including Aspen EFD 1000, and support for RealityXP GTN750)
• Move any instrument to any location on the panel, or even between pilot and copilot's panel
• Comes with 4 panel presets, but can easily be expanded by moving instruments around, using a simple and intuitive interface
• Save your own presets, and even share them with the community
• Instruments can be moved in 3D directly, on a 2D pop-up preview window, or by numerical entry for precise placement
• Realistic custom fuel system
• GNS430 and 530 can be swapped out, but a restart of the plane is required, as 430s and 530s are mutually exclusive in terms of compatibility in X-Plane
• Dynamic livery editor (like in the Kodiak, the Beaver, the Wilga, and the Pilatus PC-6)
• Full PBR control! Create stunning metallic liveries, or matte, sand-blasted look in mere seconds
• Additional control over dirt/grime, adjustable in real-time to dial in the exact desired amount of wear and tear
• Create "virtual" liveries, based on two basic common design layouts, and assign any colour to any available paint segment
• Quickly create preview of livery in real-time, using intuitive controls.  Previews now include visualization of metallic materials and dirt overlays
• Apply selected livery in real-time, right in the sim, without the need to even touch a 3rd party image editor
• Option to change the tail number in real-time, or disable it altogether. (Enter a "space" instead of a callsign number to create a blank tail number.)
• Easily and quickly create dozens of paint schemes in-sim
• Also supports 11 traditionally painted liveries, all visible in a convenient pre-selection preview window
• Uses SkunkCrafts Updater.  Option to participate in Beta program, via check box in SkunkCrafts Updater
• Excellent hi-res PBR realistic materials, featuring true-to-life plate deformation and to-the-rivet precision
• Fully modelled Pratt ^ Whitney PT6A-114A turboprop engine

Feature-rich elegant fly-out menu with the following features:

• Realism settings for engine (simplified vs. realistic modes)
• Custom ITT logic, to get the startup ITT temperature right
• Innovative electric tug, with in-panel controls to move forward/backward at the desired speed, and steer proportionally
• Control over chocks, individual tie-downs, covers, internal lights, external lights, etc.
• Option to enable/disable Cargo Pod, with realistically simulated weight, momentum, rotational inertia, and drag characteristics
• Individually load weights in different sections of the Cargo Pod via the pop-up menu
• Option to start up running (all systems ready), or cold-and-dark, for realistic startup procedures
• Control landing lights, strobes, beacon, and nav lights via pop-up window
• Detailed weight and balance manager with visual chart, individual passenger seat weight control, Lbs/KG unit toggle, CG control, external tank control, and the option to save and load configuration
• Control individual seat positions, or hide them altogether, to create a hybrid passenger/cargo version
• Multiple camera snap points, above and beyond what's available by default in X-Plane, so you can perform your walk around checks
• Adjust your camera's Field of View without having to go to an X-plane menu, allowing for real-time adjustments
• Audio mixer: individually control audio channels in real-time, so you can adjust volumes while hearing them play
• Slew control: move your plane around the world, temporarily bypassing flight physics.  Includes ground mode and air mode
• Dynamic panel control page, with a separate view for the entire panel layout preview, or a per-instrument view, allowing for fine-tuning of instrument position, as well as copy-paste function to quickly replace instruments

Flight dynamics and systems:

• Detailed and accurate flight dynamics and weight and balance with the help of multiple real-world active Caravan pilots.  This not only gives this aircraft the proper "feel", but also accurate takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing performance.
• The Caravan is a well-behaved airplane and a very stable IFR platform.  Easy to fly, but extremely capable!  The Caravan is equally comfortable at the world's busiest airports as well as back country dirt strips.
• Detailed fuel system, including the small reservoir tank and the fuel selector warning alarms.
• Extensively simulated electrical system, including the battery, avionics busses, generator, starter, external power, and standby alternator system.
• Tie-downs and chocks actually keep the plane from moving, even in high winds.

Advanced FMOD-based sound system:

• High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth transitions and amazing atmospheric effects
• Individual volume control over different aspects of the sound experience, adjustable in real-time (while listening to the sounds)
• Different sounds for front of plane than for back of plane
• Panning around the plane in exterior view yields awesome 3D audio effects, including "blade slapping" sound when view is perpendicular to prop
• Individual buttons and switches in the cockpit each have their own unique sound
• Sounds actually give you clues as to what's happening under the hood
• Outside wind intensity is affected by slip and AoA. (The more the surface area of the fuselage is hit by oncoming wind, the louder the sounds

Reviews:

Fazit aus dem FS Magazin 6-2022:
"Thranda ist mit den Caravans ein sehr schönes Paket gelungen. [..] Per integriertem Expansion Pack lässt sich zwischen einer analogen Instrumentierung und einem G1000 wählen.

In beiden Varianten lassen sich die Flugzeuge nach Sichtflug- sowie nach IFR-Regeln entlang von Airways, SIDs und STARs fliegen. Damit wird die Anbindung abgelegener Flugplätze an die „Zivilisation“ simuliert. Wasserflugplätze sind dank der Amphibien-Version kein Problem. Der Preis ist in Anbetracht des gebotenen Umfangs als fair zu bewerten. Die Caravan hat in der Summe den Tipp der Redaktion verdient!"

FS Magazin

Fazit von X-Plained.com:
"[..] Despite the presence of three other Caravan models, this Caravan package is a must buy if you enjoy flying work horse turboprops. There is none better available for X-Plane 11 and this will likely be the only one that gets optimized for the upcoming X-Plane 12. The systems that Thranda has incorporated in this package bring it to a near “study level” flight experience."

Review lesen

• X-Plane 11
• Windows, Mac or Linux (64-bit)
• 4 GB VRAM (8 GB+ recommended)
• Support for X-Plane 12 (when available)

Version 1.1:

• Added seaplane versions of the Caravan 675 and Grand Caravan, including plain floats and amphibious floats
• Added G1000 as an option in the dynamic panel, including optional synthetici vision system
• Added additional options to the landplane: Tundra tires, mud guards, seating presets, toggleable cargo version
• Fixed crash in plugin when removing panel presets
• Checklist items: Click on a line to turn it green
• Added inner/outer clickspots for KFC 225 autopilot ALT SEL knob 2D popup
• Fixed incorrect V-speeds in Aspen EFD1000
• Added manifest option "SeatClickLbs" to set how much weight gets added when clicking on a seat in the W&B popup
• Fixed NAV flag appearing when using RealityXP GTN 750 as the nav source with the mechanical HSI
• Fixed Aspen EFD1000 random digits in speed select when using press-and-hold to sync IAS mode to current airspeed
• Fixed trim not responding to commands when power is off
• Fixed Grand Caravan's empty weights to not include the cargo pod weight
• Added Go Around (GA) mode to KFC-225 autopilot, can be triggered via the command "sim/autopilot/take_off_go_around":
  • GA mode will disconnect the servos and enter ROL and GA mode, commanding wings level and 7 degrees nose-up pitch
  • Additional lateral modes (HDG, NAV, etc.) can be added
  • Changing the pitch with the UP/DN buttons or CWS will cancel GA mode and revert to PIT (pitch) mode