Introduction
About a week ago it was the first time I heard of the Columbia 400. It immediately attracted my attention. And now I love it…
Read the story of a Flight Simulator X pilot with no G1000 experience at all who is going to become a glass cockpit fan in the end…
Sunday, 9th of september.
This afternoon, I downloaded the Eaglesoft DG Columbia 400 from their website. The download was quick and easy. It looks like the EDG guys have paid for a fast download server. Good for those of us who prefer downloading instead of ordering a CD-ROM online.
After download, I unzipped the compressed folder and started the installation. Entered my user data, my creditcard number,…and went on. No problems with the installation.
Once it was installed, I started FS X. I was curious to find out how my first downloaded payware aircraft for FS X would look like. Yes, I want to trust those gauges. No, normally they don’t damage your operating system. Damned Windows Vista. It may look good and has some very handy features, but the security is really overkill…
Wow! Now that’s one goodlookin’ GA (General Aviation) aircraft!
Flight report
Now, I loaded the aircraft into the simulator. Location: MYZ1, Hog Cay Exuma, The Bahamas.
First look in one word: terrific! I haven’t seen much aircraft with such a nice, sharp, paint. The FS X version gives you 8 different paints. Now, this pilot was used to an ‘old’ cockpit in the 172 and 208B…what a difference, even compared to the CRJ-700 and 738!
Screenshot edited with Paint.NET.
When you’re at the airport and are starting up everything, you’ll have to wait so the avionics can do their AHRS start-up and alignment. Dont’ worry, after about thirty seconds, you can taxi already, but don’t have the full functionality of the aircraft and it’s systems. And one more thing: RTFM. Read The Fucking Manual!
You’ll have a steep learning curve when you aren’t used to such systems in such an aircraft. The best thing you can do is first reading all the manuals (and when I say all the manuals, I mean ALL of them – there are about seven or eight manuals, one for the PFD, one for the MFD, one for the A/P, for the two Garmins, for the aircraft itself,…), and then take-off for a flight into the unknown…
The first couple of times the simulator crashed (it’s a very detailed airplane, and it’s possible you lose quite some FPS if you have a weak computer), but after an e-mail to the support staff of Eaglesoft that issue was solved.
Thanks to the superchargers, the Columbia 400 can get out of the bad weather where other aircraft would have to stay on the ramp and sit there…
Don’t try to fly it in a snow storm over large water areas; you’ll experience exactly the same when flying the Goose with carb heat off in the same weather circumstances. You’ll lose manifold pressure, and will go down due to ice in the carburetor. Bad weather, okay, but don’t fly i in a snow storm…with the Goose you might try it since it’s an amphibian, but with this one…nah.
Feel free to explore with the Columbia 400…but don’t go into a snowstorm…As well as in simulation as in real-life, the anti-icing is an option. Though, it has some anti-icing equipment…
The aircraft works fine, and it has some nice features: oxygen, the animated pilot, the pilot’s sunglasses, the traffic alerter, very handy avionics,…
Thanks to the superchargers on the engine you can take-off and get out of the turbulence and weather. At 70 % throttle (and 2405 rpm for the prop) it gives an true airspeed of 199 kts (at an altitude of 18,000 ft).
Highly recommended for every very serious General Aviation pilot.
Though, I’d like to state two things.
First, the sheer data that is processed through the Avidyne units causes the Simulator to crash when you’re doing to much things at the same time. So, do not open any other application during the use of the ‘400′.
Second, it’s ok to put the overall quality of the aircraft to “medium high” or maybe even medium low, since this doesn’t has any noticeable effect on the outside and inside on the aircraft. Thus, it will render a bit faster.
Third, don’t give up too soon. First read the manuals, and read it again and again until you completely got how the system works.
Note: the screenshots are only intended for comparison between different products. If you consider buying this aircraft and want to see a full-size screenshot, without quality loss, please feel free to contact me; joris@warbirds.be.
