Revisiting the Carenado Cessna C337 Skymaster in Microsoft Flight Simulator

A quick flight in the Carenado C337 Skymaster in Microsoft Flight Simulator - flying across the hills of northern California - taking off from Brookings State on the coast, and airport hopping towards Happy Camp, deep in the hills.
I'm very rusty with the 337, but it was fun!
#msfs #carenado #cessna #c337 #skymaster #flightsimulator #microsoft #asobo #aviation #flight #california #flying

[@donaldholman9070]

I heard from an owner of that plane in real life. She said she always started the rear engine first She said if you started the front one first you could not hear the rear one when you t starting it.

[@jonbeckett]

Makes total sense.

[@MrPeterhemm]

Thanks for reminding me about one of my favorite aircraft! The preferred takeoff technique is to advance the rear throttle to full and when you’re certain the rear engine is good, feed in the front. This thing just has so much character. And that sound!

[@jonbeckett]

It's a noisy so-and-so, isn't it :)

[@Sapfu100]

Heeey, this is the plane "Birddog" flew in the movie "BAT 21". Well, the civilian version. Sweet. I feel a purchase coming on.

[@jonbeckett]

It's great fun to fly :)

[@RedRuffinsore]

I remember back about 1970 getting a ride in one of these (as a 14 year old kid) from a guy at the local airport. Cessna VERY briefly had a pusher-only small plane called the XMC around that time.

[@glennmullis1477]

Johnathan, I'm really enjoying your GA flights lately. While I admit their aircraft systems & engine modeling dynamics certainly aren't study-level by any means, the aircraft created by Carenado are unmatched (my opinion) in regards to 100% scale modeling. Their airplanes are absolutely gorgeous, and look "real" from every single angle. They're also usually a lot of fun to fly! I actually own every single GA model they've produced through the years, including going all the way back to the very first planes for FS2000. 😲😎

[@jonbeckett]

They're pretty good, aren't they. I wonder if they will go back and do "pro" versions at some point - with Black Square style system upgrades?

[@CueDriver]

Was a great little video. I just updated MSFS after a break from it. I have this aircraft and was struggling on how to work the auto pilot. Plus, a few keybinds I had setup and one was the autopilot button. So, I just manually flew it from Florida to an island north of the Bahamas.

[@T34-E]

Just got MSFS for the first time since 2002!!! I've logged about 300 hours in the past couple months, flown everything from airlines, to the H-Jet, to helicopters and the PC-6 trying to find an aircraft I wanted to take around the world, finally found it..... the skymaster II, who would have thought! though I wish there was a ferry tank addon haha

[@Ngamer834]

I had my eye on this aircraft so grabbed it yesterday. It doesn't disappoint looks nice, sounds great and handles nicely. My favourite GA plane so far in the sim. Just needs a Stephen king "The night flier" black paint Job being a fan of that.

[@jonbeckett]

I need to go read that book!

[@BBoaBrim]

Purchased this aircraft today on the strength of this video. It’s a lovely little plane. Easy to fly and forgiving. Thanks for the tips on flying it. 👍

[@donaldholman9070]

This is like a master class in being an aviator. Thank you so much.

[@jonbeckett]

Hardly - I didn't find the autopilot controls until I landed lol

[@hobiegal]

This plane looks awesome; I think I’ll have to buy it. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. I always learn something from your videos.

[@jeeps7er]

Usually rear engine first I believe, you can hear the rear one and see the front one starting.

[@GumperVanLier]

I said to myself, " When is Jonathan going to see the autopilot switch on the bottom center." The turn and pitch control is there too. I'm taking liberties here by saying, "That's okay as you make great videos - we'll let you slide." LOL. I love how the gear, when raised, is animated. I really like this plane.

[@jonbeckett]

Yep - I competely forgot the switch was down there. I haven't flown it in AGES

[@theaustralianconundrum]

@@jonbeckett A wonderfully quirky creation from Cessna however I am waiting for the 337 Skymasters T337 & P337G's. Larger, with more powerful engines, retractable landing gear, and more! Oh please Carenado make these happen!

[@bluboy349]

Great video as always Jonathan. Hadn't a clue about the Skymaster. Very well explained and nice seeing you use the mouse in the cockpit showing where all the controls are. Thankyou, keep up the great vids.

[@JohnVanderbeck]

Rear engine first. This lets you listen for any issues on the engine you CAN'T see before the noise is drowned out by the engine you CAN see.

[@dillank3240]

Great scenery in this one. I'm going to have to take a look myself!

[@likes2fly]

Great video, I wish they would make a p337 version. fly higher with more power and speed.

[@major3336]

I’ve been eyeing that C414 Chancellor lately. Think that might be my next buy. Wish there were more freeware mods like back on FSX.

[@asoshkin]

Great plane. You will not be disappointed.

[@jonbeckett]

That said, the commercial mods are MUCH cheaper for MSFS than they have been in the past. They are also WAY higher quality (for the most part) than freeware mods.

[@bcsimpilot3497]

Im fast becoming a bigger fan of your channel...well done mate. I have been looking at the Skymaster for a few weeks...plus the Piper Archer, only $20, and the ATR....undecided still....love the Skymaster dashboard! Woa, that turbulance, imagine one of those buttkickers or the newer padded feed back item...oh ya. I was flying another location near Alberta today, thought it was misty, nope, its a layer of smoke from the forest fires out there .. sad

[@jonbeckett]

Cheers :)

[@elpiloto100]

Great video! After watching this I may have to give this aircraft a try!

[@Squirel]

This is one of my favourite aeroplanes.

[@rolanddutton]

The military version is the O-2. There was also a version called the Lynx used by Rhodesia (as it was then), with a pretty scary weapons load for a light aircraft. Your GA videos are great btw and deserve way more subs.

[@jonbeckett]

Cheers :)

[@JohnVanderbeck]

Best thing about the skymaster is the gear :) That approach into Ward field is interesting. Just did it in the Kodiak. Nearly crashed the first time just trying to even find it (weather was a bit rainy). Got it the second time and came in probably steeper than I should have but its easy to lose it!

[@denisy6]

Captain shes gonna blow up!!! Those RPM,s!! Poor thing!! :)

[@jonbeckett]

Boooom lol

[@denisy6]

@@jonbeckett 😂

[@ElCapiVargas]

Very good review !!! I have written to Carenado reporting an error in the movement of the brake pedals, for example, if I apply the left brake, both passenger pedals move outwards and if I apply the right brake, both left pedals move (Captain and out). I am disappointed that Carenado has not corrected this error that I have reported it three times and they always tell me that they will do it in the next update and it is not like that.

[@jonbeckett]

It's really annoying when a plane you like doesn't work correctly, isn't it. The altitude pre-selector is broken in all of the Carenado aircraft that have it - I think I might have mentioned it in this video too.

[@onboardsimulations8304]

The Auto Pilot button is in the middle by the floor. I love these Cessna 337's.

[@jonbeckett]

Yep - I remembered (eventually) lol

[@sascenturion]

Enjoyed that 😀 Thanks again 👍

[@jonbeckett]

No problem 👍

[@ericsmith313]

this plane is awesome. been flying it tons.

[@jonbeckett]

Its good fun, isn't it :)

[@hobiegal]

I’m new to LNM and would like to know what elevation data you are using. I asks me about globe data (?) but I haven’t figured out how to apply it. My map doesn’t seem to have any elevation at all. Thanks! You’re the most knowledgeable and helpful person 😊

[@jonbeckett]

I've never fiddled with it

[@davmasc74]

Great video as usual! Do you use FS realistic for plane shacking?

[@914va]

Pretty cool....because you did not need a multi engine cert.

[@BHPilot82]

You had a center line thrust "rating" at the time. FAA didn't allow single engine rated pilots to fly the Skymaster like Cessna had hoped. Nowadays there is no "center line thrust rating", at least I couldn't find it in the FARs anymore

[@bcsimpilot3497]

Sir Beckett, could we do a navigation set of lessons for each radio? Im lost with all the buttons etc, what is slave to what and what I can do or not do to make my journey safe and proper nav modes.

[@jonbeckett]

Of course :)

[@iridiumcaptain]

It didn't turn to intercept the course because you were too far away from that course. It will only correct course and intercept to follow the GPS course if you are within whatever arbitrary crosstrack offset limit they set for the system. Most autopilot navigation systems behave in that manner.

[@jonbeckett]

I think I said exactly that in the flight :) I would love to know what the arbitrary limits are.

[@Ahibasabala]

I find that general coastal area of the US to be quite spooky, especially when heading further up north into Oregon. Something about those Love-craftian hills by the sea that makes me slightly uneasy, the mists can come and go really quickly as well, i love flying around there :D That's a really nice looking plane, i still don't have it as the darned thing is 20 UK squids, and it doesn't seem to appear in the sales.

[@GumperVanLier]

You missed the sale earlier this month as all the Carenado planes, except the new P-6, were discounted. I've bought most all when discounted.

[@jonbeckett]

Remember the movie "The Fog" ? That was at Point Reyes - on the Marin headlands.

[@Ahibasabala]

@@jonbeckett I remember the film but i didn't know that fact, very cool. One of my hobbies within MSFS is trying to find places from films, sometimes it's easy, as the game already has them marked out, like the Devil's tower from encounters of the third kind, but other times it's more of a search. I flew along the road from the shining film's intro, (it's called 'going to the sun road'), and i found the little town from Beetlejuice, though sadly it's not in photogrammetry as you might expect. I even found the Ennis house in Los Angeles, used in the original Blade-Runner movie as the inside of Deckard's flat. I don't think i've ever done as much sight-seeing as i have since i got this game, it's a real privilege.

[@johnb7855]

I would like to learn how you changed the Little Nav Map flight plan to fly along the valleys. It was just too quick for me to follow!

[@jonbeckett]

Right click where you want the plan to go, and add a custom position.

[@johnb7855]

@@jonbeckett thanks

[@noelclark693]

Thanks!

[@jonbeckett]

Thank you!

[@davespaige]

Hi Jonathon, my Carenado 337 has stopped working recently. By that I mean I no longer can get the avionics to power up. The avionics master does turn the DME instrument on and off but the center column devices all always are off, even if I load the airplane ready for takeoff. Wondering if you had a similar experience? The plane used to work fine for me and I've tried an uninstall and reinstall with no change.

[@jonbeckett]

Have you re-downloaded it from JustFlight ?

[@davespaige]

@@jonbeckett I thought it was only available through the Microsoft market place. At least that is what it says at the Carenado webiste.

[@henningsflugsimulatorkanal6034]

Hello, Unfortunately my Bendix is not working - only shows the start screen with "Bendix King" and "This is the bottom info" but there is no reaction when I swiching the buttons...as anybody the same problems. I have deinstalled it via marketplace (steam version) and reinstalled it, empty community folder - but no success... ;-(

[@ImpendingJoker]

Too bad texturing is the only thing that Carenado excels at. I do own this aircraft though, and owned the FSX/P3D version of it as well. Why? Because the 337 is one of my favorite airplanes.

[@jonbeckett]

I think Carenado get a lot of unfair criticism. Sure, you can't blow the tyres, destroy the engine, or whatever else - but their aircraft are still fun to fly.

[@JohnVanderbeck]

Realistically you should have kept the gear down longer coming out of Ward. Raising the gear actually adds a ton of drag.

[@BBoaBrim]

How on earth does raising the gear cause “a ton of drag”?

[@JohnVanderbeck]

@@BBoaBrimBecause of the Skymaster's rather complicated gear system, then the doors are opened up to allow the gear to be retracted the airplane actually transitions into a regime with more drag than it had with just the gear down and the doors closed.

[@BBoaBrim]

Ah, I see. Many thanks for taking the time to explain. 👍

[@theAKmooseburger]

@@JohnVanderbeckmakes total sense thanks for this!

[@mikenyagawa3929]

MR Carenado

[@ranger2083]

Is it possible flying longer range turning off one engine in the air?

[@jonbeckett]

Not sure - you could trim the engines right back though - that would probably be more efficient.

[@mikecoffee100]

Shhh don't tell Carenado but I like this Aircraft and auto pilot below the throttle quadrant and you have to say when you want the auto pilot to engage . Alt Hold

[@jonbeckett]

Yes - I completely forgot about the autopilot switch :)

[@mikecoffee100]

@@jonbeckett no worries

[@donaldholman9070]

I have a friend who is late to every appointment. He blames it on his gps leading him astray. I told him that he should try a M..A….P instead of a G..P….S. he said..what is a M…A…P.?

[@jonbeckett]

Hahahaha

[@dronepilot918]

where is the autopilot button switch on? 26:47

[@Mike-xh7ii]

I wonder how this fly with a single engine, would be fun

[@jonbeckett]

I imagine it would be massively underpowered.

[@BHPilot82]

It'll still climb but at a much reduced rate of climb. I've used to practice engine failures in this in the older MSFS's

[@Rockethurst]

I wonder if anyone can help me? I love this aircraft, however it has suddenly started becoming unflyable. On take off it puts it’s nose in the air and is uncontrollable. Quickly stalls and crashes. This happens every time on take off. All features operate normally on start up, taxi ,etc. I have tried uninstalling, rebooting etc. Nothing seems to work. It’s like it’s trimmed very nose high and can’t be changed. Any suggestions will be much appreciated. 😎🇦🇺

[@GumperVanLier]

Try a different controller; it might be causing it. Or disconnect what you are using and just use the keyboard and see what happens.

[@jonbeckett]

Create a new controller profile based on default.

[@theaustralianconundrum]

@@jonbeckett Indeed!