TESTING 1234 for its vast but sometimes bleak moorland landscapes, there’s much more to the North York Moors than meets the eye. While heather covers much of the landscape, few know that the North York Moors hold one of the largest concentrations of ancient and veteran woodlands in northern England.

Woodland and forests cover about 23% of the national park and this means it is home to an array of wildlife; it is a European Special Protection Area for merlin and golden plover, meaning it is internationally renowned as a sanctuary for a range of ground nesting birds.

Covering 554 square miles, the land contained within the national park has a chequered past, and it is this that gives the area its unique appeal; the national park authority’s main priority is the conservation and preservation of not only environmental heritage but cultural heritage too.

Much of the expansive heather moorland is land that was razed by Iron and Bronze Age settlers, who cleared the woodlands to build earthworks. This was then farmed by Medieval monks who built many of the abbeys that punctuate the valleys of this landscape, and which stand as ruinous relics of the dissolution of the monasteries throughout the Tudor period.

Cutting through this array of English cultural heritage is the North York Moors (NYM) railway; an example of the scope of Victorian industrial expansion which opened in 1836 and created a line linking Pickering with Whitby. Today, the NYM heritage railway charity operates the steam trains that run daily up and down this line, having rescued it in 1973 following the Beeching closure of 1965.

The autumnal glow on the green lane heading to Egton Bridge

Still, it would be remiss not to mention it, chiefly since the park boundary hugs the outskirts of the town. Of the beautiful villages within the park authority, our favourite is Robin Hood’s Bay. We had both spent significant time there throughout our childhood, so it felt only natural that this would be our base for a long weekend of exploring the national park in late October. We chose a quaint fisherman’s studio apartment in the heart of the village, with stunning views across the bay and the crooked roofs of ancient cottages.

For the Yorkshire Land Rover community, Robin Hood’s Bay has long-held value; my husband Tom Benson talked of trialling events in the 80s and 90s taking place at Bayness Farm above the village.

THomas Famed for its vast but sometimes bleak moorland landscapes, there’s much more to the North York Moors than meets the eye. While heather covers much of the landscape, few know that the North York Moors hold one of the largest concentrations of ancient and veteran woodlands in northern England.

Woodland and forests cover about 23% of the national park and this means it is home to an array of wildlife; it is a European Special Protection Area for merlin and golden plover, meaning it is internationally renowned as a sanctuary for a range of ground nesting birds.

F33A Review – A deep dive into this iconic tourer for X-Plane pilots

I’ll start my review by saying that this aircraft is not just for general aviation enthusiasts. Airliner fans and dedicated simmers will appreciate this meticulously crafted, training-level aircraft packed with immersive details, developed by Thranda as part of its renowned Dynamic Generation Series (DGS).

What do you get at first glance? It’s a single-engine aircraft with ample space for passengers and cargo alike – the 8K-quality exterior textures are stunning, and you can easily adjust the realism level to match your preferences.

The aircraft includes a range of static liveries, and even lets you create your own designs directly within the simulator using the EFB. It offers multiple instrument panel layouts, or the flexibility to design your own, along with seamless integration with third-party avionics, realistic sound design, detailed lighting and an intuitive weight and balance setup.

Updates are applied effortlessly. Ideal for training or short-haul flights, this aircraft supports advanced navigation systems and ILS approaches. I’ve been flying it since its release last September, now on version 1.0.7, which is the latest as of this article’s publication. We’ll cover as many details and features as possible in this review.

The aircraft

The Beechcraft Bonanza F33A was produced between 1970 and 1995, with approximately 1,800 units built during its run. It’s a versatile, high-performance single-engine aircraft featuring a conventional straight tail design (Ed: as opposed to the V-Tails on the Model 35s) and is powered by a Continental IO-520-BA engine delivering 285 horsepower. It offers a spacious cabin that can comfortably accommodate up to six passengers.

Thranda’s rendition of the Bonanza includes five seats along with a small cargo compartment, striking an ideal balance between utility and comfort. Notable highlights include its refined handling characteristics, impressive cruise speed for its class (ranging between 172 and 182 knots) and a service ceiling of 18,000 feet. Let’s take a closer look at its standout features.

Customisable instruments

The aircraft is shipped with a fully customisable instrument dashboard with multiple preset layouts, catering to both classic analog enthusiasts and fans of modern glass cockpit designs. Pilots can choose between traditional steam gauges or the sleek Garmin G1000 avionics suite, ensuring there’s something to suit every preference. Beyond that, users can freely rearrange instruments, swap their positions and save personalised layouts as custom presets.

Modern navigation aids are also well represented, with the inclusion of the GNS540 and GNS430 modules, all accessible through the enhanced EFB design interface. Furthermore, these configurations fully support third-party avionics systems such as the GTN750Xi and GTN650 from TDS and RealityXP.

Flying the Bonanza

As expected from X-Plane, the Bonanza delivers outstanding flight model realism and authentic aerodynamic behaviour. It responds naturally to changes in weight and balance, such as when the fuel load is uneven, it subtly banks towards the heavier side.

The nature of the Bonanza means that it performs exceptionally well under both VFR and IFR flight rules. I enjoy relaxed, low-altitude cross-country flights, safe in the knowledge that the plane can tackle full IFR procedures with ease. It supports a range of precision approaches – the included Garmin G1000 suite can be selected from the EFB, while the analog cockpit supports GPS navigation via the GNS units and third-party avionics such as the RealityXP or TDS GTN750Xi and GTN650 modules, both featuring intuitive touchscreens. Note that the GTN750/650 packages are sold separately by their developers.

With just a few clicks, the EFB lets you manage a wide range of aircraft settings and features. You can open doors and hatches, attach a mini GPU or a small pushback tug, customize your dashboard layout, create and apply liveries, adjust weight and balance, and operate the AviTab plugin, all from one intuitive interface.

A great feature that adds an extra touch of realism is the inclusion of complete operational checklists, conveniently accessible through the EFB. These interactive lists, featuring tick boxes, guide you through every phase of flight – from cold and dark startup all the way to shutdown – ensuring a smooth, authentic workflow that mirrors real-world procedures.

The main fuel tanks are housed within the wings, offering ample capacity for long-distance flights. For those wanting to stretch their range even further, optional wingtip tanks can be attached to provide extra fuel. However, this realistic add-on comes with a trade-off — just like in the real aircraft, the added weight and drag affect performance and balance. Uneven fuel distribution may even cause a subtle roll towards the heavier wing, a detail that perfectly captures real-world physics.

X-Plane’s audio capability shouldn’t be underestimated, and the Bonanza F33A delivers exceptional audio fidelity. From the multi-layered engine sounds to the crisp clicks of cockpit switches and the subtle rush of wind over the fuselage, powered by the FMOD sound engine, every detail has been well captured. The result is an immersive experience, especially when flying in VR. However, I found the sound level to be a bit low inside the cockpit, which is an area that Thranda could enhance in future updates.

Difficulty sliders

With Thranda’s innovative DynaFeel feature, you can fine-tune the aircraft’s aerodynamic realism on a scale from “Zero to Hero.” This system allows you to adjust pitch, roll, and yaw sensitivity from 0% – ideal for beginners seeking smooth, forgiving controls – up to 100%, which delivers maximum realism suited for experienced simmers and student pilots.

Beyond enhancing realism, DynaFeel helps you match the control response to your specific hardware and is a sophisticated system that captures the nuances of increasing aerodynamic forces with increasing airspeed, allowing you to recreate this effect for a range of controllers. For example, I found 100% roll sensitivity ideal with the Honeycomb Alpha yoke’s smooth roll axis, while a 80% setting worked better with the stiffer Thrustmaster Boeing yoke.

A custom dream

he Bonanza arrives with an impressive livery package, delivering a strong blend of ready-made schemes and deep customisation tools. Out of the box you’ll find five default liveries, each modelled on actual country-registered aircraft, giving you a good variety of finishes straight away, but beyond that, the in-sim editor offers dynamic livery creation and editing. You can not only edit tail-numbers (or disable them altogether) but also build your own paint schemes from scratch: choosing any colour for any available segment of the airframe, adjusting metallic vs matte finishes, introducing varying levels of dirt or wear and tear, and previewing your results in real-time before committing them. 

The customisation depth is significant: for example, the editor supports export of your custom livery in multiple resolutions (4k, 2k, 1k) and gives you the choice of using your CPU or GPU for processing, depending on your system.  The tail number is rasterised directly into the texture (rather than relying on a decal overlay) which means your registration appears in-scheme and saves correctly. The inclusion of built-in dirty/grime control and metalness/roughness sliders extends the realism further: you could realistically simulate a year-old private Bonanza or a freshly painted one, and switch between them at will.

The customisation options also work well against XP12’s lighting engine. The Bonanza’s exterior lighting is impressively well done, featuring bright, realistic lights including powerful taxi lights that make navigating dimly lit airfields easy. The landing lights are equally strong, and the navigation lights stand out clearly during night operations.

Flying in VR

Flying the Bonanza in VR is an entirely different experience – I rarely return to 2D mode. The interior textures look stunning, and the view of the detailed left wing right out of my left window adds impressive realism. Operating cockpit controls is intuitive using a mouse or VR controllers, though digital screens like the EFB can’t be interacted with directly.

Fortunately, there’s an easy workaround: pop out the desired screen, manage it externally, then close it again. Personally, I’ve assigned yoke and panel buttons to handle these pop-out functions seamlessly.

Conclusion

The longest trip I’ve flown in this aircraft was from Amsterdam Schiphol (EHAM) to London City Airport (EGLC), a smooth, sub-two-hour IFR flight (around 200nm) with an ILS approach that worked flawlessly. Most of my regular flying, though, is training takeoffs and landings at Teuge (EHTE), a charming small Dutch airport (and home to FSWeekend!). One of my favorite short hops, whether under VFR or IFR, is to Lelystad Airport (EHLE), with a simple flight plan prepared in SimBrief and seamlessly imported into my TDS avionics module.

Priced under $40 during promotions, this aircraft delivers outstanding value for the level of realism and attention to detail it offers. In fact, I’d argue it’s worth more than its tag price. As always, Thranda continues its tradition of keeping their aircraft both high-quality and surprisingly affordable.

I’d highly recommend this aircraft for both training and leisure flights. Whether you’re practising procedures, enjoying the scenery on short hops, or seeking a calm, relaxing flight, it performs beautifully. Even in challenging weather, you can count on it to handle precision approaches with confidence and realism; the customisation options on the panel and with the livery generator ensure there’s plenty of variation on offer.

Famed for its vast but sometimes bleak moorland landscapes, there’s much more to the North York Moors than meets the eye. While heather covers much of the landscape, few know that the North York Moors hold one of the largest concentrations of ancient and veteran woodlands in northern England. Woodland and forests cover about 23% of the national park and this means it is home to an array of wildlife; it is a European Special Protection Area for merlin and golden plover, meaning it is internationally renowned as a sanctuary for a range of ground nesting birds. Covering 554 square miles, the land contained within the national park has a chequered past, and it is this that gives the area its unique appeal; the national park authority’s main priority is the conservation and preservation of not only environmental heritage but cultural heritage too. Much of the expansive heather moorland is land that was razed by Iron and Bronze Age settlers, who cleared the woodlands to build earthworks. This was then farmed by Medieval monks who built many of the abbeys that punctuate the valleys of this landscape, and which stand as ruinous relics of the dissolution of the monasteries throughout the Tudor period. Cutting through this array of English cultural heritage is the North York Moors (NYM) railway; an example of the scope of Victorian industrial expansion which opened in 1836 and created a line linking Pickering with Whitby. Today, the NYM ‘There is technically only one town within the boundary of the national park’ heritage railway charity operates the steam trains that run daily up and down this line, having rescued it in 1973 following the Beeching closure of 1965. The North York Moors is steeped in history spanning centuries and its diverse landscapes are an ode to the way it has adapted and thrived throughout the years. The park itself covers 26 miles of rugged Yorkshire and Cleveland coastline, encompassing some of North Yorkshire’s prettiest villages. When asked about the North York Moors, many assume that Whitby is its most popular destination, and while it may be true that this is

Martin Grotepass and his son Frans are the owners of two exceptional Series Ones

Words Hendrik Bester, Pictures Frans Grotepass and Hendrik Bester

My first glimpse of the 1951 80in Series One with the number plate Landy 51-WP was in the car park of a shopping centre in George, South Africa. I could tell immediately that it was a rare beauty.

The quality of the paintwork, the newly fitted canvas, the lights behind the grille, the early Series One dashboard, the half-moon-shaped seats, and the pedals earthed into the footplate all stood out.

I left a note on the vehicle asking the owner to contact me. To my surprise, Martin Grotepass, a pharmacist, called me that evening. Martin told me that he had been the proud owner of the 80in for the past six years.

“But there’s more,” Martin said. “My son, Frans, also owns an 88in Land Rover. He currently lives in Cambridge in the UK, but is visiting South Africa at the moment.”

It turned out that they had purchased the 88in in 2015 and the 80in in 2018. Both vehicles had similar number plates: Landy 51-WP and Landy 58-WP.

The letters stand for Western Province, one of the nine provinces in South Africa, while the numbers represent the production years of the Land Rovers.

Frans later explained that they were fortunate the numbers were still available on South Africa’s NATIS car registration system.
The next day, I set off for the exceptionally beautiful coastal town of Wilderness on South Africa’s Garden Route. As I drove, my thoughts wandered to the title of the article I planned to write.

Suddenly, the song Father and Son by Cat Stevens came to mind, with his unmistakable voice and guitar playing: “Look at me, I am old, but I am happy. I once was where you are now, and I know that it isn’t easy.” My daydream was interrupted by the voice on my GPS: “You have arrived at your destination.”

The two golden oldies waited for me in front of their house parked side by side: the sage green 80in Landy 51 and the Westwood blue 88in Landy 58. Inside, I met the father and son: Martin, in his 60s, had a friendly demeanour and a grey beard. Frans, at 29, was a blond with a neatly trimmed short beard.

They welcomed me not only into their home, but also into their Land Rover world, filled with books, stories, and displays.
Frans proudly showed me two miniature mood board displays he had created about the Land Rovers, along with a few vintage model cars on the shelf.

Their love affair with Land Rovers began in the 1990s when Martin had a stake in the Lisataba Private Game Reserve on the Olifants River in South Africa’s northern Limpopo Province.

On the farm, they used Series III Land Rovers for game viewing. Their first purchase was a 1971 Series IIA game-viewing Land Rover. A young Frans would often sit on the front fender in a specially fitted tractor chair designed for the game spotter.
Martin’s second Land Rover was a 1962 SWB, which Frans fondly recalled with a smile as he showed me photos of these vehicles. “I grew up in the back of the SWB,” he said. Martin smiled and added: “After selling the SWB when we moved to George, Frans never fell out of love with Land Rovers.”

The year before Frans turned 20, they purchased WP58 for R25,000 (about £1,200). Martin recounted how he once saw a woman driving the 88in and told her to call him if she ever decided to sell it.

Frans, who was then an engineering student at Stellenbosch University, decided to drive the Land Rover to Stellenbosch and use it as his student vehicle.

The journey of more than 450km took him four challenging but enjoyable days, as he deliberately chose gravel roads, forcing him to cross mountain passes like Montagu and Swartberg.

“Thinking back,” Frans said, “it was a risky drive because the second gear wasn’t functional due to wear and tear on the gearbox. It also had a Citroën carburettor, the steering was heavy to handle, and it pulled in one direction.”

While in Stellenbosch, Frans met Bob Young, an old-time Land Rover specialist originally from Zimbabwe who had worked on Series One and II Land Rovers as a young mechanic.

Frans spent his holidays working with Bob, learning the intricacies of Land Rover mechanics. Together, they overhauled the steering, replaced the carburettor, and rebuilt the gearbox.

When Martin and Frans bought the 88in it was in relatively good condition but had undergone a restoration that Martin described as “subpar”. Its original colour was Dove Grey, but parts that should have been galvanised were made of steel and sprayed with grey paint.

Not much is known about its history. The chassis number, 112-8-01385, indicates it was exported to Namibia shortly after its dispatch date of February 13, 1958. It originally came with a 2,000cc petrol engine, later replaced with a 2,286cc petrol engine. Its original number plate was CAW 21821, which was re-registered as Landy 58-WP in 2018.

Now a hydraulic engineer in the UK, Frans returns to South Africa for short visits. During these trips, he enjoys driving his Land Rover to the max, easily travelling to nearby towns 60 miles or more away. He describes the vehicle as reliable and deeply satisfying to drive.

Driving Frans’ 88in was indeed a pure joy. It drove smoothly, with plenty of power, seamless gear changes, and soft leaf springs that made the ride comfortable. The brakes were responsive and quiet, with no squeaks. It was a cold, cloudy day in Wilderness, so the interior stayed pleasantly cool.
Frans pointed out that the canopy is period-correct and was the same one used on the first Oxford Expedition Land Rovers.

Martin uses his 1951 Land Rover, affectionately named Bob, every day to commute six miles from his home to his pharmacy. The vehicle was named after Bob Young, the Land Rover specialist who trained Frans during his university days.

When we took Bob, the WP51, out for a drive, Martin shared how the Series One “automatically transports” him back to the 1950s – a sentiment maybe all classic Land Rover owners could relate to.
Bob offers a comfortable driving experience. The steering is stiff, the gear changes are smooth, and the brakes are sharper than I’m used to.

Martin explained that they had fitted Series III drums in the front and moved the Series One brakes to the rear wheels. The seats are upright, making you feel like you’re sitting on the Land Rover rather than in it, which took some getting used to. I also had to familiarise myself with the indicator switch.

The canvas canopy, imported from the UK, still looks brand new. Bob’s green paintwork is immaculate, with every detail in place. The bonnet has the rubbers and fittings for the spare wheel, but Martin decided to mount it at the rear of the seats instead.

The restoration of Bob took two years and was completed in 2020 by Martin Potgieter, a skilled mechanic and rowing friend of Martin. Bob was imported from Zimbabwe after Martin heard from travelling friends about a 1951 Land Rover in relatively good condition near Bulawayo.

He tracked down the 85-year-old owner at a retirement home in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. Arrangements were made to import the car to South Africa and send it directly to Martin in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, for restoration.

According to Frans, Bob left the UK factory on May 12, 1951, with the chassis number 1-616-2812. It was originally fitted with a 1,600cc engine, configured as a right-hand drive, and painted green.

It was destined for the Commonwealth and sent to Northern Rhodesia, where it endured hard labour.

Bob worked in the Copperbelt and contributed to the construction of Lake Kariba until 1960. Its whereabouts between 1960 and 1990 remain unclear, but it was eventually purchased by John App, who used it on his farm, Hunter’s Moon, for various tasks, including ploughing.

In 1992, a 2,286cc engine was purchased at a government auction and fitted in Bob, along with a 1957 gearbox and a 1964 transfer case.

Between 2007 and 2018, Bob was stationed on a farm near Bulawayo. When Martin purchased Bob in 2018 from John App, it was painted blue and bore a yellow registration plate numbered 136 989A.

Martin and Frans conducted extensive research to ensure the restoration was period-correct. They visited Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works to observe some of the finest 80in restorations in the world and the British Motor Museum, where they viewed the Queen’s Series One and HUE.

The steering rack’s preload posed a significant challenge

During their UK visit, they met John Bishop, who provided invaluable guidance and received additional advice from Owen Walton, a South African Land Rover expert based in nearby Oudtshoorn.

Walton helped rebuild Bob’s Series IIA gearbox, and Martin sourced a 1963 Series IIA 2,286cc engine to replace the old one. They purchased various parts for the restoration, including a tailgate from Charl Maritz, who manufactured new panels to specification in Krugersdorp.

Charl also refurbished the radiator with a new core while retaining the original Series One top. Martin even commissioned a kettle maker in Port Elizabeth to produce a copper air inlet pipe for the carburettor.

The steering rack’s preload posed a significant challenge, but a toolmaker in Birmingham, UK, manufactured a new set for the steering. An additional petrol tank was fitted under the seat on the opposite side.

The restoration is marvellous. From the sage green paint to the lights, seats, indicators, canvas, vent openers, steering wheel, and even the lights – it has all been done to original specifications. Martin admitted it was a lengthy process to register the car in his name, but he ultimately succeeded.

Frans is a true student of Land Rovers, particularly the early Series One models. When in the UK, he attended numerous Land Rover rallies and made a concerted effort to acquire some of the most authentic books on the subject.

He methodically guided me through his collection. One of his favourite books is Land Rover: The Early Years (1982) by Tony Hutchings. Only 1,000 copies were ever printed, and the book includes detailed coverage of the 48 pre-production models.
Hutchings notes that number 39 was reportedly sent to Zimbabwe, though its trail has since been lost. The book also features hand-drawn sketches highlighting the differences between the early and later 80in models.

Another favourite of Frans is Land Rover: The Formative Years 1947-1967 by John Smith. He places great importance on small details, and when we compared the 1951 and 1958 models, he explained the evolution from the 80in to the 88in design.

Frans pointed out everything from the rubbers on the bonnet for holding the spare wheel to the differences in the leaf springs. For example, the rear springs on the 80in Land Rovers were noticeably thinner in width compared to the front ones.

After the restoration was completed, Martin, Frans and their family took Bob on an extensive drive through the Baviaanskloof Valley. According to Frans, “Bob didn’t skip a beat!”

I asked Frans if he planned to buy a classic Land Rover in England. “I don’t think so,” he replied. “You need a garage and tools to maintain an old Land Rover and I don’t have that in Cambridge.”
Frans’ dream, however, is to one day own his own 80in. “They are the most interesting to me,” he said. “Maybe because they have changed so much during this time.” Martin stroked his grey beard and added with a smile: “He’s the one who will inherit Bob one day!”

CLR