Carenado Cessna 152 (C152) Review

The Carneado C152 (Cessna 152)

Background Info

First delivered in 1977 as the 1978 model year, the 152 was a modernization of the proven Cessna 150 design. The 152 was intended to compete with the new Beechcraft Skipper and Piper Tomahawk, both of which were introduced the same year. Additional design goals were to improve useful load through a gross weight increase to 1670 lbs (757 kg), decrease internal and external noise levels and run better on the then newly introduced 100LL fuel. As with the 150, the great majority of 152s were built at the Cessna factory in Wichita, Kansas. A number of aircraft were also built by Reims Aviation of France and given the designation F152/FA152. Production of the 152 was ended in 1985 when Cessna ended production of all of their light aircraft; by that time, a total of 7,584 examples of the 152, including A152 and FA152 Aerobat aerobatic variants, had been built worldwide.
In 2007 Cessna announced that it will build a light sport successor, designated the Model 162 Skycatcher.

Installation

Something that I haven't really included in all my review is how well it is it download and install this package made available by FSPILOTSHOP.COM.

After making my smooth transaction via PayPal. Its easy as 1...2...3.. all you do is click the link and click save and the download is done in a blink of an eye due to the small file size. The installing is easy after you get past the FSPILOTSHOP.COM log in you are given a well constructed installation file that is easy to use and theoretically all you have to do is click next next next....

This is the standard installer for Carenado and will be present on all downloads not only FSPILOTSHOP.COM although I do recommend them as they give you a generous 20 downloads if you may need them.

First Impressions

So moving onto the first impressions part of this review. The model in the aircraft selection box looks very neat with no fuzzing around the liveries on all the models including the ones with and without the wheel covers. When the aircraft loaded up I was amazed that for such a low price the amazing detail that is clearly expressed in the external model of Carenado. Already I am looking forward to taking this beauty to the sky. As said earlier this aeroplane was introduced in 1977 you can clearly tell that this is a very basic aircraft from the Virtual Cockpit and my first impressions are that Carenado went for a more weathered, old interior rather than a brand spanking new one which adds to the experience of flying this aircraft.

Exterior Model

As you may know by now, I like to start of with a full review of the exterior model. This is because me like most people like to fly a plane that does not only fly good but also looks good, and boy does this deliver. The aircraft textures like said before do not distort even in close zoom modes. The aircraft is amazing comparing it to real life models shown below.

As you can clearly see for an old model she still looks the part!

Moving onto the control surfaces on this aircraft from an external view. The ailerons move in harmony like on the real aircraft, each movement on the yoke corresponds to the correct amount of movement on the real aircraft which is a nice feature to know as some of the simulators for the same price have terrible exterior views. The rudder on the real aeroplane is totally separate to the nose wheel steering that you find on modern day aeroplanes including Pipers like I fly (see the Stalling video). This is simulated when the aircraft is stationary but when moving for ease the rudder inputs also result in nose wheel output which is a nice feature. The flaps, now like most Cessna's the flaps are motorised by a small motor inside the wing and this is also simulated by the gradual deployment of flaps in stages. All these features may seem obvious but for someone who enjoys a nice model it is key to get these right. As you can see from the above picture the cockpit is fully viewable from the outside in!!

The Virtual Cockpit

For a virtual cockpit to be complete in a GA plane you need the bare essentials to be staring you right in the face. With this C152 the cockpit is accurately modelled with all the bare essentials within the viewing distance on screen. Like the C172 the cockpit seems to have a beige background to the instrument panel this of the time it was either a whitish/cream plastic backing or a black one. Unfortunately Carenado have chose to give us only the beige colour but this doesn't matter. The fact that they instruments are again of amazing quality and clarity makes this one of the easiest aircraft to fly on flight simulator x. Moving on the radio panels, these look very 1970's. Why do I say this? Well the radio panel has a dial and moving card inside in order to tune your frequency instead of the modern day dial and LCD screen. This is very realistic and makes the aircraft feel real to a certain respect this carries on with the ADF and VOR tuning stations. Panning around the cockpit you can open the windows and doors from the inside which saves instead of using silly keyboard commands. Also another small feature that makes it unique is the seat and 'boot' space. You may know that the C152 is only a 2 seater aircraft one pilot on passenger. Carenado haven't missed anything out here as is only has the 2 seats and what seems to be 'boot' space to put your virtual flight bag! After looking in many a C152 cockpit this very accurate.

Test Flight

For this test flight I decided that it was time to hit the circuit around the airfield of Wellsbourne (EGBW). The reason that I chose to do circuits is that fact that the C152 can take off in small fields but due to its small 100hp engine the climb rate isn't all that good especially with full fuel and 2 POB. Simulating a real flight I load full fuel in the Fuel and Payload screen within FSX and put 2 passenger in at the airliner standard 80kg per person. The aircraft loads quickly due to the small file and run files within the package. And I'm faced with this semi-ready aircraft with batteries running but no engine started. So without a do I cranked her over and let her splutter into life. I set up the QFE for BW and aligned the compass with the DI. So all is well I taxi to the end of runway 36 at Wellsbourne. I lower 2 stages of flap for departure and open throttle. The aircraft responds quickly to the increase in power and I'm at takeoff speed before I know it. The climb rates on this aeroplane are to be quite honest quite poor (nothing to do with the model its the real aircraft) the 100hp engine struggles almost to pull her heavy load out of Wellsbourne into the circuit but with the low takeoff speed I was climbing out at an amazing 60knots! The turns are like any well calibrated not stuttering which is the norm for Carenado aircraft. Coming up to 1000' on the QFE I push the nose forward and pull the power back to a reasonable RPM. Achieving nothing more than 90knots you can start to see why I didn't want to fly to France in this thing. With the downwind leg complete I turn base and pull the throttle back to idle and let the airspeed come back to about 70 knots for the approach. With the 70 knots established I lower 2 stages of flap and start my decent. This flap deployment is very well simulated it even comes with a coupled balloon if you don't push forward!! At the point of turning final I deploy the reaming flap and slow to 60knots for my final approach, this is where i tested the true simulation of the aeroplane i started doing some weaving turns and the aircraft responded like a real plane would. Allot of input = small output due to slow speed. About 200' above the runway I pull all the power back and glide to the runway without problem at all to simulate an engine failure. Touchdown after a 11 minute circuit we are back down in Wellsbourne taxing back to the hangar.

Although I have only described a 11 minute test. My actual flight time comes up to something a little short of 11 hours flying time testing all the different configurations of approach, takeoff, climb speeds etc.

My Closing Comments

Overall this is defiantly one to keep in my virtual hanger for years to come although it's a simulation coming up to about nearly 4 years old now it is still way ahead of the Just Flight's model and is amazingly accurate in every detail

I give this aircraft an amazing 5/5 due to the like for like characteristics of this plane and the way that it handled really impressed me even though its a 40 year old aeroplane aeroclubs are still using them all over the world for training making it one of the most versatile aircraft ever built.

Hope you enjoyed reading this. Stay tuned for more!!