I was away on business trips for three weeks straight in November and December. When I wasn’t traveling, I went to Kyoto and Nikko to see the autumn leaves, so updates to this blog have been stagnant for a long time. Sorry about that!

Carenado’s X-Plane aircraft products have always had an excellent reputation, but I hadn’t bought any before because the price was a bit high. Fortunately, they are currently having a sale. If you are interested, do not miss this great opportunity. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m really not advertising for them)

Until December 25th, their entire line of X-Plane products is half price, so I immediately bought the PA28 181 ARCHER II. After all, I have hands-on experience with this plane, and at just $12.48, it’s a great bargain.

Immediately after online payment, you get the download link. It’s a 70+ MB compressed file. The installation method is the same as general freeware aircraft, so I won’t explain it here. The flight feel is fantastic, aircraft control is very stable, and the engine sound is awesome. The cockpit details are crisp, and the door can be opened (on the PA28 only the front right door opens, which is consistent with the real plane), and it’s even animated. The small window on the Captain’s side can also be opened, so we can get some fresh air from time to time during the flight.

Looking at this instrument panel again, I really feel a sense of familiarity. Comparing it with the real thing, oh, it’s too realistic.

For the maiden flight, I chose to take off from Zurich Airport in Switzerland, and flew all the way towards the beautiful Alps. The lakes and mountains were breathtaking. Of course, the ARCHER II is even more impressive. I reckon I’ll be flying it every day for the next few months, hehe.

End