Eaglesoft’s Cirrus SR20 G2
Reviewed by Ludo Lambrechts
In the hustling world of aviation, the efficiency of flights has been key to the success of companies. In an effort to meet strict deadlines, and to make use of every square inch, the choice in aircraft has been big, bulky cargo planes. Flying much faster than light GA’s and being able to hold more than a hundred times the cargo, these aircraft specialize in the efficiency of the on-demand aviation world. However, it is not hard to see that a big aircraft doesn’t always do the job for you. Small, remote airstrips simply can not accept aircraft of that size. Therefore aircraft such as the Cirrus SR20 G2 are still being built today.
Cirrus’s SR20G2 has been a very successful aircraft since its introduction in 1999. There have been some accidents in the past resulting in fatalities, but it has mostly held a safe record. Designed to compete with Beechcraft’s A36 Bonanza, Cessna’s182T Skylane, and Lancair’s Columbia it is obvious what the capabilities of this aircraft are and where it can go. This aircraft featuring full digital avionics has served its purpose well up until now, and is now entering everyone’s simulators courtesy of Eaglesoft.
Eaglesoft has been made famous by its work on corporate aviation jets, but is now also trying some other genres in their flight simulator development. One of these genres is the light aviation genre. Their first aircraft is the revolutionary Cirrus SR20 G2. This aircraft installs very easy into your game but also very quickly. Just follow the instructions on screen and you will be flying in no time at all.
The exterior model is very well done, and is a true carbon copy of the quality seen with the Citation X. Gear bays, ailerons, wingtips, lights and many other features have been modelled to exact specifications. There is a lot of eye candy included on this aircraft and is very photogenic. The details included on the livery are well done, and the outside model looks terrific. In regards to other aircraft on the market though, this aircraft is not revolutionary in its exterior. It has been done very well, but is not set apart from other competitors’ products.
The interior however is what sets Eaglesoft’s Cirrus SR20 G2 apart from the competition. The 2D panel is extremely well done; it looks great and is coded to represent the real thing. The Cirrus SR20 has a fully digital avionics suite with one 10-inch Avidyne FlightMax primary flight display and one multi-function display. A pair of Garmin GNS430s provides GPS navigation, conventional radio navigation, and radio communications. To many simmers reading that information would confuse them, but not these experts from Eaglesoft. These gauges and systems have been integrated into the 2D panel and work just like the real thing. It is complex and a little difficult to get a hold of at first, but half an hour of playing around and you will get the hang of a fully digital cockpit. This panel is also integrated into the VC. The VC is well detailed, and uses photorealistic texturing to put you into the pilot’s seat. Together the 2D panel and the VC make the Cirrus SR20 G2 a revolutionary FS aircraft.
The flight dynamics of the Cirrus SR20 G2 have been done to a standard set by Eaglesoft since their first packages. You can’t capture the exact thing in this simulator, but you can get as close as possible. Eaglesoft has done just that with the Cirrus SR20 G2. The aircraft is not easy to fly, but does pose the ease of use in the real aviation world. Your skills will be challenged, but this aircraft will be more of a learning experience rather than a stressor. Along with these realistic custom sounds this aircraft would be a great way to start training before taking an instruction flight in a real Cirrus SR20 G2.
The performance of this aircraft however isn’t the best out there. It isn’t bad on frame rates, but even with my system I could notice a drop in the FPS. All mid systems will be able to run this aircraft, meaning almost everyone can enjoy this aircraft. Performance might be an issue for many buyers, and the frame rates of this aircraft may not compare to others, but the difference is quite insignificant given the quality of the aircraft, and all of the special features added in to it (including an oil check).
Like the saying goes, “it’s not what’s outside, but what’s inside”. This is incredibly true for this aircraft, the revolutionary quality is not on the outside but the inside. The systems are those which we have rarely seen, and the feel of flight is amazing. Now I’m not saying the exterior isn’t nice either, it is great too but not “revolutionary”. For their work on the Cirrus SR20 G2 I award Eaglesoft a 9.5 out of 10.
Reviewed By Ludo Lambrechts for Eaglesoft
Eaglesoft's Cirrus SR20 G2, My review
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