Welcome

[steven winslow]

Flying her again this morning from KEKY to KDTN.  Headed back home to Montana.  Can't wait to see the new version!

[rick_studder]

I like this plane a lot, but I also have found some issues (XP 9.55, WinXP):

- The left-turning tendency is quite pronounced also at cruise settings/speed. In a engine off dive there is a slight right-turning tendency, as is to be expected, but perhaps it should be greater to cancel the left roll in cruise.

- Two first notches of flaps yields very pronounced pitch down. Landing with two notches of flaps you almost run out of trim. The last notch however yileds a pich up.

- Max thrust (in air) gives no more than 2400 rpm. Also, an rpm of 2000 will give you almost 130 kts in level fligth, seems high.

I have never flown a real Sundowner, but these are the things I found peculiar. Apart from that, a great plane which I suspect I will be flying quite a lot.

[Goran_M]

I like this plane a lot, but I also have found some issues (XP 9.55, WinXP):

- The left-turning tendency is quite pronounced also at cruise settings/speed. In a engine off dive there is a slight right-turning tendency, as is to be expected, but perhaps it should be greater to cancel the left roll in cruise.

- Two first notches of flaps yields very pronounced pitch down. Landing with two notches of flaps you almost run out of trim. The last notch however yileds a pich up.

- Max thrust (in air) gives no more than 2400 rpm. Also, an rpm of 2000 will give you almost 130 kts in level fligth, seems high.

I have never flown a real Sundowner, but these are the things I found peculiar. Apart from that, a great plane which I suspect I will be flying quite a lot.

The left turning tendency is an engine torque issue.  I have modeled a new 3D mesh console for the floor that has an aileron trim added.  This should also help in the descent, slight right roll..

The Sundowner has a very pronounced nose down attitude with flaps.  It shouldn't pitch down so much that you nearly run out of trim, so I will have to look at that.

Engine speeds you describe are certainly strange.  I will definitely look into that as well.

Keep in mind, this add on was made with X-Plane 9.40 so some things may have changed in 9.55 onwards.

An update will be ready very soon.  We have fixed the texture issues so load times should be faster.  Aileron trim has been added to the flight model.  The mesh will be extensively improved.  Panel has been rebuilt.  A few more flight model things to look at and it will be ready.

Thanks heaps for the feedback.  We'll make sure we iron all these issues out.

[MaidenFan]

Also, aileron trim.

[Goran_M]

Also, aileron trim.

Hey Rush

Did you read my whole post?

Aileron trim has been added.  Just have to finish modelling the 3D mesh for it.

[MaidenFan]

Cool

[Goran_M]

Update is moving along nicely.  This update has been several weeks worth of work. 

What is being done is:

Completely remodeled fuselage and interior to give a smoother appearance. (DONE)

Completely remodeled main panel background (where the gauges are mounted).  (DONE)

Aileron trim added.  (DONE)

Completely remodeled propeller. (DONE)

More manipulators added (adjustable seats and visors).  (Pending)

Circuit breakers texture fixed.  (DONE)

Improved night lighting.  (Pending)

Faster load times with lower usage of VRAM.  (Pending)

SFC and some engine parameters slightly adjusted.  (DONE)

Not exactly sure when it will be complete and ready for download but it will definitely be soon.

Appreciate your patience and support.  To show our appreciation, we're working on something to thank you all for the support you have shown us.  This will be a small gift made available to anyone who wants it. 

More on that in the coming days.

[steven winslow]

Saweet!  Thanks for the update.  Patiently....holding my breath!

[MaidenFan]

Awesome! I can't wait.

[Oliver]

Update is moving along nicely.  This update has been several weeks worth of work.  

What is being done is:

Completely remodeled fuselage and interior to give a smoother appearance. (DONE)

Completely remodeled main panel background (where the gauges are mounted).  (DONE)

Aileron trim added.  (DONE)

Completely remodeled propeller. (DONE)

More manipulators added (adjustable seats and visors).  (Pending)

Circuit breakers texture fixed.  (DONE)

Improved night lighting.  (Pending)

Faster load times with lower usage of VRAM.  (Pending)

SFC and some engine parameters slightly adjusted.  (DONE)

Not exactly sure when it will be complete and ready for download but it will definitely be soon.

Appreciate your patience and support.  To show our appreciation, we're working on something to thank you all for the support you have shown us.  This will be a small gift made available to anyone who wants it.  

More on that in the coming days.

Yay for Goran, his awesome addons, and his generosity. Yay his awesomeness  ;D

[mikced]

Just a quick question. Is anyone actually using the default Garmin 430 in the Sundowner? Its existence on the panel is actually the one and only reason I still have not purchased this aircraft. This default instrument in its present shape and form in my opinion has no reason for being, and is extremely unrealistic. Why do payware and freeware aircraft developers insist on including this instrument in their panels. Any plans on removing it all together in the update or can it easily be user removed?

Cheers

Michael     

[Lukasz]

I do use it, as a backup to dead reckoning and radionavigation, with the most useful functions of it: moving map and direct-to. I prefer having it, even in it's current form, than not having it at all.

[Cameron]

Why do payware and freeware aircraft developers insist on including this instrument in their panels.    

Because when it's not there people complain to have it in.

[Goran_M]

Just a quick question. Is anyone actually using the default Garmin 430 in the Sundowner? Its existence on the panel is actually the one and only reason I still have not purchased this aircraft. This default instrument in its present shape and form in my opinion has no reason for being, and is extremely unrealistic. Why do payware and freeware aircraft developers insist on including this instrument in their panels. Any plans on removing it all together in the update or can it easily be user removed?

Cheers

Michael     

We're sorry this is the only thing stopping you from buying this aircraft. 

FYI

Garmin 300 in the Sundowner I fly:

Garmin 430 in another Sundowner on airliners.net:

Many pilots still use a GPS.  And as Cameron said, people complain when we don't add it.

To answer your other question, it is not possible to remove the Garmin without removing some other parts of the panel as the Garmin is grouped with them in the export process.  There are no plans to remove it in the update.

Goran

[steven winslow]

Thank you for having the Garmin 430 in my Sundowner!  If you hadn't put it in, I probably would have.  Or some other kind of GPS.  I believe most pilots, both real world and sim, use some form of GPS.  I agree there are some limitations to the 430, but it's probably mostly my own lack of 430 education that keeps it from being more useful to me.  I just logged around 60 hours in the Sundowner flying her out to the Carolinas and back to Montana and I have to say I am truly in love with this plane.  I can't wait to have the new update with some of the kinks worked out, but this one has been a joy to get to know.  Every landing was better than the last and we became a good team over the past month.

Thank you again for a great aircraft!

[YYZatcboy]

Smart pilots have backups. GPS for Radios, or Radios for GPS. Who cares. In the interest of flight safety it is a smart move.

/Aviation Professional mode

I am sure as the sim increases it's capability, or indi goes crazy one day, we will eventually have a full Garmin, so it's smart to put it in there IMO.

[mikced]

Its not the fact that there is a GPS on board the Sundowner that is my problem, I love a good GPS unit (Reality XP has a superb 430 for example) but rather the fact that it happens to be the default X-plane unit. It is just so unrealistic this beast :-) But that leads me to a question though. If I purchase the Reality Xp one, is there a way to replace the default one with that from Reality XP?

Many thanks

Mike     

[Goran_M]

Its not the fact that there is a GPS on board the Sundowner that is my problem, I love a good GPS unit (Reality XP has a superb 430 for example) but rather the fact that it happens to be the default X-plane unit. It is just so unrealistic this beast :-) But that leads me to a question though. If I purchase the Reality Xp one, is there a way to replace the default one with that from Reality XP?

Many thanks

Mike       

Replacing the GPS with the Reality XP one will be a big hack job.  The GPS in the Sudowner atm is a 3D mesh with a mapped GPS screen.  To get full functionality out of a reality x p version, you would need to add panel regions and reload them.  Not a small job.

[Guest iannik]

Hi Goran,

I remember that you planned to add a pilot, is it still considered?

About instruments, will be modified? As someone previously said they become unsharp at certain distance.

thank you for your work, this is the airplane I fly more often.

[Goran_M]

Hi Goran,

I remember that you planned to add a pilot, is it still considered?

About instruments, will be modified? As someone previously saidthaty become unsharp at certai distance.

thank you for your work, this is the airplane I fly more often.

We have 2 pilots that have been modeled and textured.  I have to animate each one and then export to x plane.  It's still our plan to add a pilot.

The update is nearly ready.  I went over the modeling and gauges and rebuilt quite a bit of the plane.  We are re organizing the objects and making sure the textures can be read.  This involved a few steps that are nearly done.

On top of all this, some things have been done to the flight model, including an added aileron trim as well as a few other adjustments.

It will be ready very soon.

[LionKing]

The sounds won't be default I hope?

[Goran_M]

The sounds won't be default I hope?

There are custom sounds for the Sundowner already.

[LionKing]

That's good, Goran!

Can't wait for the update

[Guest iannik]

We have 2 pilots that have been modeled and textured.  I have to animate each one and then export to x plane.  It's still our plan to add a pilot.

The update is nearly ready.  I went over the modeling and gauges and rebuilt quite a bit of the plane.  We are re organizing the objects and making sure the textures can be read.  This involved a few steps that are nearly done.

On top of all this, some things have been done to the flight model, including an added aileron trim as well as a few other adjustments.

It will be ready very soon.

Thank you very much!

[LionKing]

Goran. I have just 1 question right now: When? When will we see the update? I can't wait already