Thranda Design Releases Cessna C337 Skymaster for X-Plane 11 & 12

January 28, 2023

Artur Araripe

X-Plane

OTHER

MSFS

DCS

Thranda Design has recently released their rendition of the Cessna C337 Skymaster for X-Plane 11 and 12, part of their Dynamic Generation Series aircraft. It is a unique light aircraft produced by Cessna Aircraft Company, known for its distinct design, featuring a twin-boom tail configuration and a rear pusher propeller, and a tractor propeller in the front. It was first introduced in 1963 and produced until 1982. The Skymaster was available in piston and turboprop versions, with the latter having a longer range and higher cruising speed. The aircraft also features retractable landing gear, making it versatile for land and water operations. It is a highly sought-after aircraft by enthusiasts and collectors, due to its design and historical significance.

Thranda’s C337 features a fully configurable 3D instrument panel, VR compatibility, interchangeable yoke styles, over 50 instruments to choose from (movable), four panel presets (customizable), full 3D lighting, savable presets, dynamic livery editor, high-resolution PBR materials, a fully modeled Continental IO-320-F front engine, windshield ice and rain effects, and individual functional circuit breakers.

The fly-out menu offers a variety of features for a realistic and customizable flying experience. It includes controls for electric tug, chocks, tie-downs, covers, lights, and the option to enable or disable a Cargo Pod with realistic weight and drag characteristics. Users can also choose to start in a "cold-and-dark" state for realistic startup procedures. The menu also allows for control over landing lights, strobes, beacon, and navigation lights, as well as a detailed weight and balance manager with a visual chart and the ability to save and load configurations. Additionally, users can hide or show individual seats to create a hybrid passenger/cargo version, adjust the field of view, control audio channels in real-time, move the plane around the world with slew control, fine-tune instrument positions, swap pilot and co-pilot seats, and select different yoke styles.

This aircraft boasts detailed and accurate flight dynamics and weight and balance, developed with the help of multiple real-world active Stationair pilots, ensuring a proper "feel" and accurate performance during takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing. The C337 is a twin airplane where the props spin in opposite directions, canceling out torque on the airframe. In the event of a single engine failure, the flight behavior is not greatly affected as the engines are in line and do not produce a net yaw force on the plane. Additionally, tie-downs and chocks are included to keep the plane from moving in high winds. The aircraft also features DynaFeel, which simulates the strength of the control surfaces affected by oncoming air, and how much would be necessary to overcome these forces.

The aircraft features high-fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth transitions, calculated to minimize "muddy" sounds by using the precise beat frequency for each section. It also includes atmospheric effects, allowing the user to adjust the volume of different aspects of the sound experience in real time. The sounds are divided, with different sonic characteristics for the front and back engine, and panning around the plane in exterior view yields 3D audio effects such as a "blade slapping" sound when viewed perpendicular to the prop. Far-away sounds include aerodynamic interaction effects between the front and rear propeller, and the cockpit buttons and switches each have their own unique sound. The engine also has a cool-down ticking sound based on temperature. The sounds also give clues about what's happening under the hood, and the outside wind intensity is affected by slip and AoA, making the sound louder when the surface area of the fuselage is hit by oncoming wind. Opening doors and windows also lets in outside sounds.