Does XP model collisions with trees? Seem’s I’ve tried it with no damage. Was just a test 
No…unfortunately it does not. But there are plenty of strips (The Heron’s Nest is one of them) that do have significant terrain just off the sides of the runway that you can hit. I would love to have collidable trees though…that would add an extra pucker factor…
Purists should fly the oldest and most beat up planes they can find if they want to be true Air Hauler cargo pilots. The Beech AT-11 Kasan…basically a Beech 18 or Twin Beech, is a good choice. With a couple hours of gas and a fat M&M eating pilot behind the wheel (and a dog…gotta have a dog in this tin can)…you can haul about 2,900 lbs. of “hemp products”…
The Shade Tree model is kind of nice in an old X-Plane kind of way. It has an awesome updater and is GTN 750 compatible out of the box. Satisfying blat-blat-blat of the engines too…
Cockpit isn’t much to look at…and tough sight picture out over the nose. You have to sort of scoot to the left a bit and look through the sliver on the left side of the glare shield…
Lots of torque on takeoff…almost had me in the trees…but she gets airborne quickly, using up about 900’ of runway even at that heavy weight…
Landing sight picture is pretty poor…
Touchdown…decelerated up the hill, but no reverse props on this baby…all brakes…and once I was heading down the other side of the hill, they just didn’t have the grip to stop me. For the first time, I took a plane off the end of the runway on landing at Heron Island. Great. Paperwork.
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So the Cessna 337 - as much as I love it - is most definitely not your Huckleberry for Air Hauler. Not unless you want to end up in the trees and/or offload a bunch of weight.
Looks pretty good on paper. Two hours of fuel, a gelatinous blob behind the wheel, and about 1,300 lbs. of cargo seems pretty reasonable for a piston push me/pull me twin…
As far as models go…the 337 is one of my favorites. Particularly the absolutely stunning old school cockpit with those awesome old Collins digital radios…
Giving her all she’s got…!
The 337 lumbers…staggers…wheezes up the hill. I think we are doing about 25 knots by the top. I tried this with both flaps 10 and 20. Acceleration is mediocre after the crest…and both times she fell off the end of the runway and staggered into the air with some coaxing. Brakes on landing were also poor. And all this is at sea-level, 70F, no wind. Take her up into the mountains of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon and you’re a goner…
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My granddad was a corp. pilot flying those “BJ” (“Before Jets”). Have a pix in the living room (one of many) of him standing on the ramp next to one (better looking version), along with some other types. This was after his barn-storming days. Colorful man.
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Is that plain or peanut?
I really hope that means it is close. I have a nice long weekend coming up…
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I was pretty tempted to a while ago, and was about to look into it again just before this AH2XP thread opened up. I should give that a go but I feel that AH2X is soooo close.
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I feel less guilty when I eat the peanut ones. Something, something, protein.
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For those wanting to branch out down the line…the Czech made Evektor EV-55 Outback is an interesting and rugged bird. I took her on a 10,000+ mile journey a couple of years ago on the Christmas Trek to Christmas Island…(I believe that was the year that @Sine_Nomine SAILED to our destination!!)
I will have to do some research on the new model (v1.3) - they have added a G1000 panel but I prefer the steam gauge layout…
With two hours of fuel - you can carry near 3,000 lbs. of Vegemite - enough to hold any small town over for a decade…
With half flaps…the EV-55 accelerates up the hill nicely and is light on the tires and airborne just over the crest…say 800-900’…
Very nice on landing too…only taking about 800’ - the reverse propeller pitch is effective. She does have a wingspan though - just a shade under 53’…so narrower than the Twin Otter, but still quite a span…
Bonus feature - floats!
I have not tried it in VR yet though…on my list of things to do…
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One of the surprises for me in my “advanced aircraft” research (light research) was that the Mu-2 did surprisingly poorly. It is generally a good short field performer, but at MTOW the requirements of bush flying might be beyond its capabilities. It is one of my favorite planes in X-Plane though - one of the original complex aircraft that came out over a decade ago. A really nice cockpit and fun and squirrelly flight dynamics…
The “Moo” will carry about 2,600 lbs. of Viggen replacement parts (or drywall) with about two hours of fuel…
Permanent hearing loss is a feature, not a bug…
Mine has the GTN crammed into the panel…love it…!
I tried Flaps 20 and Flaps 5…both times the plane struggles to accelerate to flying speed in time. Off the end of the runway and struggle away from the cliff. Landing performance is way better…but that takeoff roll is a killer…
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So many Beech 18s are resting in the weeds around Caribbean airfields. They must have hauled a bunch of square grouper back in the day. When I saw that photo the first thought that came to mind was that someone was shipping up to Boston and ran out of go juice near Beach’s island while being chased by the DEA
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I was carrying boxes of N95 masks. The new contraband.
AH2 for XP11 - isn’t this essentially the same version what was, seemingly, forever in pre-release on P3D? Just curious. I’m somewhat familiar with it as I used it often Pre-DCS VR. Has a ton of features I never used, and I never used it with a group of people.
So far it seems to be more easily used that FSEconomy. Not that FSE is difficult, just more steps involved.
Your post about the BE-18 got me thinking (I didn’t know this model existed for XP11); I’m going to ‘fly’ in my grand-dad’s footsteps! Virtually surreal. That’s my MAC ride. Now to figure it out 
Here’s the image. Not sure the date taken, guestimate is mid-late 50’s. According to grandma, these were his ‘quiet’ years; after the barn-storming, airshow, and WWII IP stuff. He’s the one on the far left. Spitin image of me, though my hair’s not as red. That was his nickname: Red.
Anyone know the type circled at the upper left? Some kinda of early Aero Commander is my guess. Can’t wait to fly the Twin Beech, even if only digitally.
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Just be aware that the STMA Beech 18 is a fairly simple looking model. It isn’t like Carenado polish…but I like their little company…