Winner XPlaneReviews BEST BUSINESS JET 2022
“The best aircraft of my hangar .. and I have all the other more popular biz jets and Airliners!!
Quote from a Customer in the Support Forums
The Aircraft flies perfect and performs to the numbers.
Quote from a Customer in the Support Forums
Very impressed so far.
I love how smooth it fly’s taking off and landing its really something to be experienced!
- What is the latest version of the aircraft?
Please refer to the Pilot Operating Handbook referred to in this site as the POH, for the latest released version information
Please also visit our Product Catalog to learn about various product choices available to you
See also the “HERE” links to the Store pages in the Product Catalog and below — those pages mention what versions are available for purchase.
If you are an existing customer, then to get the latest released versions of your installed jet, go to your X-Plane Store account, and the latest version will be in your product catalog. - What is the current status and release date of the C-560XL for XPlane?
The XP11 version is released and available to purchase on the XPlane.org store HERE.
The XP12 version is released You have 2 purchase options on the XPlane.org store:
“I want the XP12 version only” HERE.
“I want both XP11+ XP12 Bundled at a nice discounted price” HERE.
Please also read the “Recommend” reviews attached to the C-560XL store-front pages.
Follow our Facebook page. - “I was promised a free XP12 aircraft when I purchased the XP11 version before the XP12 release. Where can I get it from? “
Promise kept: If you purchased the aircraft prior to March 15 2023, then yes, you can get your XP12 version for free.
To do that, Log into your XPlane.org Store account, and you will see the aircraft listed in your catalog.
Download the zip, and use your EXISTING key to install the 11 version into your XP11 application (which will update it to the latest released version contained).
Similarly, install the XP12 version into X-Plane 12 and activate it using your existing key. - Can the XP11 jet be installed and used in XP12?
No. While you can certainly try to activate it, the aircraft WILL NOT WORK.
This does not mean that it will work “somewhat” or “not very well” — on the contrary, NOTHING in the cockpit that runs on code will work, making the jet basically unusable.
Worse, trying this needlessly will use one of your limited activation counts on your product key.
Be advised: There is no refund, or adding-back for unauthorized activation count use.
SUMMARIZED:
Please be careful to install the right jet version into the right Sim version.
There are LICENSING COUNT-USE consequences if you choose to ignore this warning.
Please read this page for further details! - If I buy the XP11 stand alone now, then want to add the XP12 version later, is there a discount for the additional XP12 aircraft purchase?
There is no “upgrade” discount either of the XP11 or XP12 standalone versions once they are purchased.
There is a discounted, BUNDLED option HERE, which will save you $30/- to give you both XP11 and XP12 versions of the jet. It is a great way to get 2 superior biz jet versions to enjoy in both sims. - I need help and Support to operate this study-level jet. Where?
HERE is our Support forum on the xplane.org site.
Also, please read the short note at the bottom of this page to be in sync for how study-level is interpreted by AirSim3D so expectations are level-set. - Where is the Pilot Operation Handbook (POH) I can refer to on demand, and which I can count on to be always up to date (for both Sim versions)?
Go HERE. - About the POH:
Why is it so colorful?
Why is it so dense and verbose?
Can you make it simpler?
Where is the PDF version?
The colors serve a serious purpose.
It is High Contrast to be inclusive for persons who need high contrast text to read.
So while the documents on our site may look very colorful to you, but its NOT done just for the sake of being colorful.
Additionally, its also a quick way to scroll fast and quickly see, as examples, highlights, or XP12 content. Anyway, relax and enjoy the colors :))
About it being dense: Consider that the real POH manual is almost 300 pages thick! And since the Jet is replicated to 95%, we HAD to give you the information you will need to fly the jet satisfactorily. (and believe us its is bare-bones essentials compared to the real manual).
Simpler: Sure. Then the doc would not have the detail you need on-demand, then that would force you, dear customer, to come to us every time you needed a missing detail, and for us to then have to answer the same question repeatedly (as we’d naturally expect to happen) in a timely manner. So the idea is to empower you with all the information you need, when you need it, on demand, and always up to date. That is also the main reason why chose not to have a PDF version — it would be out of date within days.
We also recognize that there are many learning styles.
If you are not the “manual reader” type, that’s OK…then don’t read the manual.
If you love reading, then go for it cover to cover.
In EITHER case, we recommend reading at least up to the Index of links section to get the bare minimum, and thereafter use your Browsers’ page search to find topics that interest you when you need added detail, or if something does not work the way you expect.
We do not provide PDF versions for offline use, and recommend that you AVOID generating them for yourself for offline use, UNLESS you commit to updating your copy very often because this Online POH is updated very often.
The real POH is >300 pages thick.
This POH is ~ 175 pages if printed.
It is detailed, and verbose precisely because we empower YOU with all the information you need on-demand to operate the jet, instead of having to rely on us for answers.
We are in the process of creating a series of how-to tutorial videos and informationals; see the list on our support site here, and we thank you for your patience while they are created.
But above all, please be patient, and go easy on yourself too — we’ve said this elsewhere on this site, but incase you missed it: Unless you are a C-560Xl pilot, this jet takes learning. It is different. Set aside assumptions of how you are used to doing things “in other aircraft”. Be open to learning new methods that the jet requires. Being curious will serve you well, and lower the frustration level. The POH is your friend. The journey to fly it flawlessly IS the goal. Take time to enjoy that experience! - You mention you won the BEST BUSINESS AIRCRAFT XPlaneReview award.
Are you therefor saying you are better then the highly rated HStart model !!?
(this FAQ is addressed here only because this was actually said/asked in the public square)
First we have no, zip, nada, input into XPlaneReviews award criteria — please contact them directly if you want clarification of their award process.
Second, we have never said, anywhere, in any format, that we are better or worse that ANYONE.
“better-worse” judgements are things you are absolutely free and entitled to make, or lines you may choose to draw.
But speaking for ourselves, we do not, will not, never have, and never will, do that.
We know what it takes to produce high quality, realistic aircraft, and we think the HS model is an excellent product built by great people — some of who we know.
Different aircraft are built for specific audiences by its developers. And there is ample room for everyone.
They have helped raise the bar for all of us with their product, and we for one really appreciate and admire their craftsmanship and product.
We wish them nothing but continued success. - Where did you get your verbatims from?
How do we know they are not conveniently made up because you have an economic motive?
(this FAQ question is here only because this was actually ask in the public square when we offered verbatims as examples of our satisfied customers)
All our verbatims have been copied from submissions customers (or beta testers) made, unsolicited, on our Support pages. They are the documented voices of our customers, in their own words.
The quote from the Director of Flight safety is from a charter company that has several XLs (and other aircraft in their fleet) HQ’d at Boeing Field.
This is the place we visited often to take pics, get documents, record real sounds, talk to its pilots, get things clarified to make it real over 3 years — which all helped to make the jet a 95% replica.
We are so grateful for that help.
They are anonymous by their request to respect their privacy, and if you don’t believe anything above, then so be it.
We do not, have not, will not lie. It is not what we do.
Speaking for us, and if you had this question, perhaps think of coming from a place of grace, trust, and acceptance first, and only if we give you real cause (with proven lying) then, rightfully, become mistrustful. Just because you can ask a question, does mean you should. - Why does the cockpit look so dark in XP12
Why is the text and labeling less clear compared to XP11
Why are there “shimmering edges” in certain places and edges — especially highly polished/glossy parts inside and out
There seems to be a lot of “smudging” around instrument edges and bezels in the Xp12 cockpit. Do you have a plan/when will you clean that up?
XP12 (at this writing in March of 2023) is still a work in progress. (as any new major software release tends to be) So we expect improvement to come in many areas of the sim.
With that context, and specific to this issue: Our cockpit uses advanced Ambient Occlusion (AO)shading. Some aircraft do it less, some none (that produces a cleaner, but flatter 2-d -looking visual.
But how LR treats AO, brightness and contrasts — especially in the cockpit where one can “see” both bright sunlit areas as well as deep shadows, is good, but not perfect. Maybe it never will be perfect for everyone because it will come down to personal preferences. And also, and the treatment of colors with what is technically called “tone mapping” — is still a work in progress. But the fact is that the LR folks have totally rewritten their lighting engine, and while we think its very very good so far, we just need to give them a break and give them time to work on their sim a bit more.
The result for us all is the effect of how a cockpit “looks” — its brightness will be based on your viewpoint, and colors at different times of the day will be affected by the color of the sun at particular times of the day, to even how glass reflects its surroundings. You can see this as you tilt your viewpoint up and down in the cockpit to increase and decrease the amount of “outside” light you see.
What this all means to you the simmer, is that it WILL LOOK AND VERY FEEL DIFFERENT compared to what you might have been used to in XP11 (take a look at our jet in XP11 pics in the POH and you will notice a huge diff). The difference IS INTENTIONAL from LR, they have designed it to be different. We accept, and actually welcome/support that — in our opinion, XP12 is waaaay ahead of XP11. You may have your own opinion, and that’s OK too.
But all said and done, while we AGREE that cockpit textures overall, in every aircraft could look better, we will NOT be updating our XP12 model cockpit textures UNTIL a time when we feel the XP lighting engine and tone mapping is more baked — perhaps that will take them some months. Why do we choose to wait? Logically, if we updated often (its not a trivial task to dev-test-and pump out new point releases), then we’d probably also be chasing moving goalposts that LR repositions with every update they make. We are in touch with LR directly through their internal Vendor outreach program, and we WILL watch and work on this at the right time. So as we are patient, we ask/request that you too also please be patient about improving cockpit lighting. - “For the price, we expect things like flight-tabs, working fuse panels!!?“
(this FAQ question is here only because this was an opinion expressed in the public square)
While we respect that expectation and the assumption being made since “others” may do that, our approach is different. And frankly, if that is your only no-buy or no-recommend criteria, then this is not the product for you. We are at peace with that.
But to be clear, those items were not “mistakenly left out” or skimped on for 2 very intentional reasons:
A) we did not want to replicate something that the sim already does quite well, like W&B or Adding fuel or failures. Saving FPS for a global audience is a big goal for us that we hope you will appreciate.
B) But more importantly, everyone calls for “more realism”!
We heeded that call.
But lets all apply the realism goal consistently.
Therefore, like real pilots in any C-560Xl do, you’ll need to get up and go open/lock the door.
— Or go open the Lav door to extinguish the warning fore take off and after landing.
— Get up, go outside and stow your passenger bags.
— Let the ground crew do their job and clear chocks and cones.
— Get up and go turn on the main battery in its compartment outside.
These are all tasks done by real pilots in real life.
In this 95% replica, you will also be required to these things that real pilots get up and do.
Creating flashy pop-outs is easy — but that is not our yardstick for measuring the value our aircraft delivers. We opted instead to focus on areas to meet our 95% realism target, with bug free features and functions that Pilots interact with most often. And then spend our FPS bank liberally in those places where it mattered most to deepen realism. That is why, as examples, you have an accurate, authentic Pressurization system, or a fully functional lighting panel and day/night panel, or a realistic emergency battery set of instrumentation, or FLC, or an industry-leading night-lighting experience, or exact C&D process. Would you trade any of those for working fuses? We spent FPS where we thought it mattered the most.
For those who then might say “well, real pilots have IPads and Tablets” — true (some) do, but Tablets are add-ons of their own choosing and models/preferences, or part of an FBO benefit they buy after market, not part of the jet that Cessna delivers. So lets again be consistent. We cant want realism, and then be unrealistic. if you want tablets, then you are free to choose to add tablets to the aircraft like real pilots do — if you want. (we though giving you that freedom of choice was actually to your advantage instead of locking you into ours?) There are plenty of good tablet plugins in the XP community for you to choose from.
About things like animating and coding hundreds of Fuses to code trip failures (which is their only purpose really).
— That is not a complex task; relatively simple to code, BUT — and here is where we are focused on you — we would then need to add code, animation, conditions, and manipulators for every one of those little fuses, on both sides of the cockpit, add more complexity, (so the POH would become even longer, which we know you don’t want :))
— all for functionality that possibly only 1% (so some small minority population) would use only 1% (or some small %) of the time.
— Instead we’d rather, and did, spend our bank of FPS where it mattered for critical systems to improve realism that a majority of pilots use.
— Oh BTW, the sim does failures tripping too if you enabled it in the sim, and then the jet WILL DEFINATELY behave and react accordingly.
— And then you as PIC will then need to manage those emergencies in EXACTLY the same way real XL pilots do. (as provided in the POH) Set one engine to be on fire and see what happens! - Why is there no FMC in the C-560XL?
I’ve never seen anything online that shows a G1000?
Please read this. - Where can I read a review?
Winner: BEST BUSINESS AIRCRAFT category: XPlaneReview’s “behind-the-screen-year-in-review-2022” — jet first released XP11 Nov 2022
XplaneReview Nov 2022 (the jet was still in beta — many images on that review now completely out of date (better!)
Live stream on YT (March 23 2023, XP12 model, in French)
Read what Customers have said verbatim,on the REVIEWS tab of the X-Plane.org storefront, copied exactly from unsolicited customer comments in our Support Forums
We’ll be adding walk-arounds and training videos pointing out features on our youtube channel soon (links will be on our VIDEOS tab when available) so you can decide for yourself (which is our strong preference) - External “independent” reviews, awards are all good, but they often come with personal histories, styles, biases, agendas that influence what they say (and decide to show or omit)
Is there a place I can get “just facts” of what this jet is and can do, WITHOUT any opinion or judgement or recommendations?
I want to decide for myself.
Compliments for being curious enough to want and do that for yourself. We realize that folks often rely on others to do the work for them, but there is a cost for giving them that power. Its only natural human nature for that to happen.
But, YES there is a place to get what you are looking for — In production as we speak are Tutorial and Walk-around videos where we will simply narrate and show you jet features, what purpose they serve in the real jet, and how things are designed to work, with no opinion, just facts.
To review the planned list of topics, please go here on our support site’s pinned topic.
As that list is released, we will add links and communicate status on that page, and also on this sites’ Videos section, on our FB page etc. etc.
Meanwhile, please refer to the POH… it is your best current source for unbiased, factual information, has many pics (some from XP11/12) and is the single source of truth (dispassionately written, just providing facts) for what the jet is capable of. Questions? Reach out to us on our .org Support page
Quote from a Review / Beta tester
“having flown the Excel a lot over the past month, I now really love it, even miss it a lot when flying other aircraft” (and the Reviewer has MANY add on aircraft to compare it to)
THE AIRCRAFT
Is this jet “study-level”?
Well, they do mean what they say as far as the complexity!
Quote from a customer in the Release announcement
And beware in they are (also) correct in suggesting not jumping in cold and dark right away!
But, I really do not mind the complexity as long as it is authentic.
For me, this definitely fits the bill as a study level aircraft.
There are many interpretations of what this term actually means, to different persons, at different times, and for their own personal reasons. its all good.
But here is OUR TAKE:
If by “study-level” you mean that:
* the jet is replicated to 95% functional authenticity-realism, so you can expect most things to function, and look, and sound, just like in the real thing
* all major flight systems operate like the real jet
* you have real checklists and procedures to follow that take some study and learn
* its design and development was informed and tested by actual pilots
* 100s of real flight bag docs, real recordings and pictures of real life jet parts were used so that almost everything looks like and operates like the real thing
* its systems and amination, and timing of events — from nose to tail were “realistically” coded and built based on all the aforementioned input
* every label, warning, placard is authentic, down to size, color, working, font, and placement
* Panels and screws, object shapes both inside and outside, switch colors, their placement, counts, inside and outside sounds — all match the real jet
* if it moves in the jet, there is a 99% probability that it will do so in exactly the same manner, and at the same speed, and function the same, as in the real jet
if YES to all… and you wish to learn how it happens and be truly immersed in that experience then yes, the AirSim3D C-560XL is absolutely “study level”.
“This jet is amazingly accurate.
Verbatim from the Director of Safety at one charter company in Seattle, WA, USA
The effort to build details and authenticity really shines through.
We are using this model to teach junior pilots advanced decision making and risk management,
as well as chair-flying approaches to allow crews to build the familiarity and an understanding of timing needed to conduct safe operations in busy or unfamiliar terminal areas.
I highly, highly recommended it.”
Yes, our C-560XL’s flight model, FMOD sounds, its look and feel, will be very familiar to any C-560XL real world pilot.
However, if by “study level” you mean things like:
“I want instruments to be placed on the dash in the exact same config as I can see in online pictures” or
“I expect the PFD to be an exact replica and colors of the real Honeywell with its 5000 functions and real-world performance sophistication” or
“I need the Fuel Flow at 57% N1 to exactly match the fuel flow number in the real jet at 57% NI” or
“I expect this model to spend low-use, high-expenditure FPS costs to animate all 200 fuses in the Fuse panel breakers” or
“I can train in it, then be able to step into a real C-560XL and SAFELY FLY it”
— then this aircraft is NOT “study level by that definition”
THIS JETS PURPOSE AND GOAL was to provide you with a deeply immersive, but fun-filled flight simulation experience for the home hobbyist with an interest in flight simulation from day 1, (so it had to be 99% bug free) and one which greatly approximates (up to 95% was our design goal) the real jets features, functions, dimensions, sounds, and look and feel — yes, those are real jet recorded start up sounds when you turn the Avionics on!
IT IS NOT A FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TOOL.
IT IS FOR single use, at-home FLIGHT SIMULATION ENTERTAINMENT ONLY.
What features and functions does the jet provide?
Visit our Summary and Cockpit and Pilot Operating handbook in this site for the latest version, loads of content and pics.
TLDR? Umm… OK, how about:
All major aircraft systems and 3D objects work, and are animated, to provide a best-faith 95% replication of the real jet in a home simulator, for individual simulation entertainment.
License-use, type and counts available
Please read this page. — especially if you are thinking about trying to install the Xp11 version of the jet as a copy/past into XP12 — there are irreversible License Key activation count depletion consequences to taking that action.
Also first also read the section above —Can the jet be installed and used in XP12?— if thinking about doing that.
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