First Impressions of the C-101EB

[Charly_Owl]

I flew the C-101 for a little bit in both Single Player and Multiplayer and I thought I would share my first impressions on the CASA C-101EB Aviojet, this newcomer brought to us by our AvioDev friends.

 

First, I must give props to AvioDev for taking on a project like that. Trainers are not a very lucrative market and I have often scratched my head, wondering "why on earth are they doing this jet I never heard anything about?" After a couple of hours flying the thing, I think I finally get it.

 

Keep in mind that

 

1) The module is very much in early beta, so many features are WIP

2) Currently, we pay about 40$ for the C-101EB (unarmed Trainer version) with a SFM (Standard Flight Model), which is what we get right now. Later on, we will also get the C-101CC with SFM, which is a variant of the aircraft but with a different cockpit, a different engine and actual weapons. After that, we will get the AFM (Advanced Flight Model) for both the C-101EB and the C-101CC for free once it is completed. This is what we get, which is pretty generous as we get 2 similar yet different aircraft with 2 different flight models.

 

 

It's obvious that it's a labor of love and it shows. Just looking at the exterior, you can notice many small details. For instance, the GPU (Ground Power Unit) is actually modelled and there are some ladders leading to the cockpit when you warm up the aircraft. The noise of the APU also makes an earshattering noise, which I find pretty neat. I would find it even more interesting if ED, Belsimtek and Leatherneck took some notes and added a similarly modelled GPU to the aircraft that need ground power like the F-86F and the MiG-21bis. There are also chocks added, which is another nice little detail. :thumbup:

 

 

It's the little details that, despite my initial reservations, kept me interested in exploring this whole new aircraft. Speaking of the cockpit, it is beautifully detailed and it has a retro look that is very immersive. The red-yellowish lighting gives the Aviojet a particular feel that I have yet to find in other DCS aircraft. While the front panel feels a little flat (which can only be blamed on the real cockpit, really), the consoles and the layout of the cockpit has a certain relief that makes you feel right in the middle of an early 1980's jet.

 

 

Speaking of the cockpit, I must highlight the incredible sound inside of it. The sounds feel very authentic and the stall aoa warning sound gives you a real good wake-up call. You'll know what I mean when you hear it for the first time and spill your coffee everywhere. :music_whistling: Like I said before, the sound of the GPU is excellent and the FALTA alarm sound is also quite annoying (in a good way). The Aviojet is sexy, flashy and noisy. You can tell why the Spanish Air Force is so fond of it.

 

 

The ground handling is nothing to write home about. The C-101EB feels light and its brakes are very responsive. Much more than I am used with aircraft like the F-15, the F-86, the MiG-21bis or the A-10C. It has a similar handling as the VEAO Hawk (which also has a Standard Flight Model (SFM)) and I have a slight impression that the plane should feel heavier than that. My guess is that the AFM will improve upon the SFM and put my fears to rest. On takeoff, the C-101 has a slower acceleration than I expected, but it flies well nonetheless. I tried belly-landing (ok, ok, I "forgot" to deploy my landing gear) and even at a very low descent rate I exploded almost on the spot. Whether or not it is a SFM limitation, I do not know. To be continued.

 

 

In the air, the aircraft feels very responsive. It doesn't have a mindblowing climb rate like the MiG-21 space rocket, and its aerodynamics are exactly what you would expect from a standard trainer jet. You cannot pull crazy stunts unless you want the stall alarm to make your eardrums explode. The plane doesn't really shake as hard as I would expect during stall. I don't know if it's my own perception that is wrong or if it's a SFM limitation. People will immediately compare it to the VEAO Hawk, which is a similar airplane with a SFM too. Having flown both, I can tell you that while they feel similar in some aspects, these are two distinct flight models. The aircraft do not behave the exact same way, and I think it will be even more apparent once the AFM is successfully implemented. So rest assured, you're buying a C-101, not a Hawk with a different paintjob. I must also say that I tried to break apart the machine as much as I could and I was impressed to see how well the system failures are modelled. I even had my pitot tube freeze on me and had my speed indicator stuck at 150 kts. Very "cool"! *ba-dum-tss* :megalol: The work "under the hood" is there, and I think it will be very interesting to see it in action during combat once the C-101CC is released.

 

 

There are some bugs on release, but they are all minor and I am happily surprised to see that the release went smoothly and without any glaring issue. Tango is working hard on fixing the few small bugs that are bound to slip through the cracks and I think it is a successful release. Of course, many features and little fixes remain to be implemented. I'm sure they will come gradually, but I thought I'd list them in order of importance.

• A proper manual and a more advanced version of the quick guide (i.e. the fuel panel switches)
  
• Proper controls for all cockpit switches (some controls seem to be directly taken from the Su-25)
  
• AFM (thanks, Captain Obvious)
  
• More Training Missions and a Campaign
  

 

 

Overall, I never was a fan of trainer jets. I am still not a fan of trainer jets. But after flying the Aviojet all these hours, I have grown fond of it. I didn't know a single thing about the C-101 before I bought it. Now I'm hooked. It's not an F-16, it's not a F-18C, it's not a MiG-23... but I believe it still has its place among DCS World. The C-101EB is just as good as any FSX payware you could think of and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into the full manual to learn more about every single secret this plane has. Like I said before, the AvioJet is a labor of love and it is a quality product that deserves to be given a shot. It is a beautiful plane, it is modelled with great care and attention to detail. AvioDev has proved that they know what they are doing, they know where they are going and, most important of all, that they can deliver a good, valuable and unique product for a decent price. AvioDev has a bright future, and I am eager to see what it brings.

 

The reason I fly DCS is because I always learn something new and I get a great sense of accomplishment in doing so. Today, I'm glad I learned about the Aviojet and I am now very interested to know what AvioDev has in store for us next.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Charly_Owl

[uboats]

fantastic article

 

hint:

Be careful that do not extract the gear or flap when speed is relatively high, otherwise the flap or gear will be broken :D

[VincentLaw]

Simple ground handling and belly landing explosions are a SFM limitation. Don't try field landings either. These things will be better with an EFM.

[PMIK]

Thanks, that was a great read and some awesome screenshots!

[Anatoli-Kagari9]

As usual Chuck, great read!

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the C-101

 

I will certainly buy it, specially because I think it's the kind of trainer our Portuguese Airforce should have acquired ( not the AlphaJet ... ) and because I really think I should support this project.

[ESAc_matador]

I really liked this cockpit. I still need to go deeper in the systems, but looks simple but great!

[Bunyap]

Great write-up! Agreed on every point.

 

Bunyap Sims Youtube Channel

[Vedexent]

fantastic article

 

hint:

Be careful that do not extract the gear or flap when speed is relatively high, otherwise the flap or gear will be broken :D

 

Done it! :P

[outlawal2]

Nice writeup...

:thumbup:

[tomcatter]

I was at the point of writting a first impressions thread myself, but after i read your post, there is no need, as you express very well the feelings i had in my few hours with this bird , so no need to make people read two times the same thing.

And your writting is more powerful and useful that mine will be....

 

However, just to mention that Aviodev really did a big job here, the 3D model is gorgeous and the way the GPU is modeled is somethig the other devs must note, as is a hit on the inmerssion of the sim, for me at least.

 

So I´m very pleased with this little jet, I will learn the systems and wait for the AFM to come to really enjoy this bird, and make her my choice to just fly around and relax in between the work load of combat missions.

 

Thank you for your article.¡¡¡¡¡

Edited January 22, 2015 by tomcatter

[Oesau]

Great article, so thanks for taking the time in writing it.

[NaiOrion]

Great read thanks! A better addition to the hanger than I was expecting.

[elchacal]

Great article! :thumbup:

[speckfire]

Good writeup Charly. I have done to date 1 takeoff and landing so far. I really like this bird

[Bucic]

Good article!

Wow, the cockpit reminds me of polish jet and turboprop trainers so much.