More Than Another Aircraft Add-On
The Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III combines business-aircraft performance with the hands-on workload of an older twin-engine turboprop.
Propair Flight’s rendition features two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 engines producing 720 shaft horsepower each. The aircraft can operate at altitudes up to 33,000 feet and has a maximum operating speed of 246 KCAS.
Virtual pilots can select between a modern Garmin G1000 flight deck and a traditional analog cockpit. That choice should make the aircraft accessible to pilots who prefer glass avionics while preserving the classic turboprop experience for those who enjoy managing conventional instruments and systems.
Passenger and medevac configurations are included, accompanied by six liveries divided between civilian and medical operators. A paint kit is also available for users interested in creating additional liveries.
SkyPass Brings Structured Training to MSFS
The defining feature of the release may be SkyPass rather than the aircraft itself.
SkyPass is Propair Flight’s new virtual type-rating platform. Instead of providing pilots with an aircraft, manual and a “good luck out there” wave from the ramp, the system presents a structured training program inspired by real-world aircraft qualification courses.
The program begins with ground school before moving into increasingly demanding practical flights. Propair Flight says the complete course includes more than two dozen training tasks and approximately 25 to 30 hours of instruction, including around 20 hours of flight training.
Lessons cover aircraft systems, normal operating procedures, aircraft handling, instrument approaches, abnormal situations and emergency scenarios. Pilots who complete the program can attempt a final checkride and earn a SkyPass Virtual Type Rating for the Cheyenne III.
The virtual rating is intended for flight-simulation use and is not a substitute for FAA-approved instruction, certification or an actual aircraft type rating.
Training Platform Watches Each Flight
SkyPass connects directly to the Cheyenne III and monitors aircraft parameters, gauges and switch positions during training flights.
The platform can record details such as interturbine temperature, propeller RPM, starter duration and aircraft speeds. After landing, an AI-assisted assessment system processes the recorded telemetry and produces a written debrief.
That report identifies what the pilot handled correctly, where procedures or limitations were missed and what should be improved during the next attempt.
The concept creates a repeating training cycle: learn the material, fly the lesson, review the evaluation and try again. It gives pilots more objective feedback than they would receive by simply flying the aircraft and deciding for themselves whether everything looked approximately right.
Detailed Systems and Multiple Configurations
The Cheyenne III includes simulated electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, pressurization and environmental systems. It also features hydraulic landing-gear operation with an emergency backup, pneumatic airframe de-icing and engine and propeller ice protection.
Propair Flight says the aircraft includes a custom engine simulation that responds to how the engines are operated and managed. That should make power management, temperature limitations and proper starting procedures important parts of the experience.
The release features detailed 3D modeling, 4K textures, extensive animations and an annunciator-driven cockpit. The inclusion of both medical and passenger interiors also gives virtual operators several mission possibilities, ranging from executive transportation to simulated patient-transfer flights.
Credits Support Multiple Training Attempts
The package includes 100 SkyPass evaluation credits. Propair Flight says this provides enough capacity to complete the training missions multiple times.
Pilots interested in repeatedly completing lessons or retaking the course should be aware that SkyPass evaluations depend on those credits. Propair Flight has not yet provided extensive public details about future credit pricing or what happens after the included allocation is exhausted.
Available for MSFS 2020 and 2024
The Propair Flight Cheyenne III and SkyPass bundle is available for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The package can be purchased from the Propair Flight webshop or through Orbx Direct. The Orbx listing currently shows an estimated U.S. price of $45.72, although regional pricing and applicable taxes may vary.
The Cheyenne III is the first aircraft supported by SkyPass, and Propair Flight plans to introduce additional training programs in the future. If the platform delivers meaningful feedback consistently, it could offer flight simmers something more valuable than another aircraft in the hangar: a reason to learn how to operate it properly.
