AH2XP Aircraft Evaluation #05 - Stinson L5 (Laminar Research)
- Stinson L5 (Laminar Research) (MGouge MOD)
- MTOW - 2,250 lbs.
- Cruise - 100 mph
- 2 hour fuel burn - 10 gph x 2 hr = 20 gal = 120 lbs.
MTOW = 2,250 lbs.
EMPTY = 1,600 lbs.
230 lbs. pilot
120 lbs. fuel (2 hours)
300 lbs. cargo
This is a great little aircraft for some bush hauling. Obviously, it would pay to go on a diet to increase your load carrying capacity. If I dropped 50 pounds, I would be able to eek out 350 lbs. of cargo instead of my lard constrained 300 lbs.
As usual, checking out the plane meant getting too close to the edge of that rabbit hole - and down I went.
First - make sure you are using the X-Plane 11 version of the L5 Stinson since it has a nicely upgraded cockpit, sounds, and flight dynamics. It should be the default L5 Stinson in the Laminar Research folder, but if you are like me and tend to tote modified versions of planes around, you could have an old version.
I gave the L5 a whirl with no modifications and was surprised at how quickly it got off the ground at maximum takeoff weight. So doing some research on the .ORG, I found an update to the L5 that author “MGouge” seems to have spent a good bit of time caring for. I believe he is a real world L5 pilot and has tweaked the L5 flight model and .ACF file to more accurately portray what the real airplane does.
Make sure to read his attached notes on flying tips and aircraft loading guidance. Adjusting the CG and noting the fuel and load recommendations result in very good handling. It is probably one of my favorite tail-dragger ground models I’ve tried so far…it feels controllable, but still requires some attention.
A beautiful, classic airplane. I’m using IainJStewart’s cool dirty bush paint scheme…
The L5 POH (that is a fun read!) recommends the second notch of flaps for takeoffs…
A beautiful 3D cockpit…but there could be some issues with regards to Air Hauler in that it does not have a GPS, but does have a tablet map in VR, and no traditional green needle navaids either.
However…there is a spot down there at the bottom of the stack for some modifications! (Picture taken in VR)
So, diving in to Plane Maker…
There we go! Not the most elegant install…but whatever…
Also, there is no autopilot…so if I were to use this plane I might consider throwing one in as well.
Even with the modified performance .ACF file, the L5 at maximum gross does a very nice job of getting off the runway (an upsloping one at that!) in very short order, about 750’…
Coming back around, the aircraft is very responsive to throttle inputs and with full flaps, a stout landing, and heavy braking we only used up about 600’ of runway…!
The plane is pure joy in VR, and my guess is that for Air Hauler it will perhaps be fairly cheap to buy right off the bat. Definitely high on my list and maybe I’ll mod it with a cargo pod on the belly…
