Opinions on FSD products ....

[Sidney Schwartz 11]

I bought their 337. It's the only freeware or payware plane I've ever had that prevents you from making any modifications to the panel, at least by using FS Panel Studio. (I'm not saying there aren't any others that do this, just that this is my only experience with one.) I will almost always tweak a panel, if only to add a favorite gauge that it may not have. On the 337 panel the engine gauges don't show unless you toggle that sub-panel on. You can't leave it on because it hides primary navigation instruments on the main panel. Meanwhile, the radio stack shows all the time. This seems backwards to me, and I'd rather have the engine gauges on the main panel instead of the radios. Normally I'd be able to make the change myself, but FSD doesn't think I should be able to. As a result I fly the plane a lot less than I might, and I won't be buying any of their other products. It's a shame that they're so paranoid...the plane really is excellent in most respects. Sidney Schwartz KPDX

[graemeb 14]

FSD code their gauges so that the panel.cfg cannot be edited in FS Panel Studio. If you disable DLL dependencies, you can view the panel window, but with no visible bitmap cues to assist placement.However, that does not stop you from manually editing the panel.cfg file, and by trial and error, doing whatever revision you want.I have succesfully modified a number of FSD panels, and although tedious, it is by no means impossible.I have never had any problems in my dealings with FSD, and their models are generally of very high quality.

[Guest allcott]

No complaints about the quality of their aircraft, but check the forums very, very carefully for the much more edgy issue of their installers dropping spyware in your system, their accusatory tone if you ever dare to disagree with them, and the manner of their support. It's a competitive market out therehttp://www.baepanelproject.com/Allcott

[Sidney Schwartz 11]

I'm going to be modifying this one manually, and yes, it is tedious. Sidney Schwartz KPDX

[maxter 0]

Larry is quite correct... FSD has in the past updated their products regularly and for free. FSD also unfortunately pays the price of vigorously protecting their products from thieves and cheats. Also unfortunately, sometimes innocent persons get caught up in the net. I make no judgement on how they deal with those instances only to make the point that I have always been dealt with in completely an honest and supportive manner. There appears to be amongst some at this forum who have a bee in their bonnet about FSD and who will at each occasion with no bidding, troll out their tales of woe. It's quite a shame that a talented bunch of individuals are forever tarred with this brush, and which for the majority of interactions with the vast majority of customers are truely undiserved.In terms of their products, I have seen much more expensive offerings from other developers that are of much worse quality. Steve Small is one of the best of the best when it comes to flight dynamics from both a theoretical as well as a practical perspective and has a level of personal integrity that cannot be faulted IMHO. The aircraft graphics are generally of a good quality, although there are better from some developers. In short the products are great value for money.Cheers and all the best with your simming, Chris Porter:-outtaPerthWestern Australia

[alsummers 0]

I owned the FSD Cheyenne, Porter, Seneca, Navajo, Aerostar and also the Avanti.I reformatted my system back in September, and as of yet, have not reinstalled any of these products. Strangely I don't really know why. Granted I do not have any of my order numbers, since these were amongst my first FS2004 payware purchases. Added to which, some of the models are now V2, and thus I believe I would have to pay for the upgrade.FSD aircraft certainly have quality written all over them, and I myself have never had issues with them, or with FSD themselves.But I do wonder why I am not clamouring to reinstall them...Regards,Al.

[Guest Mesa]

It's the same for me. After a complete reinstall over Christmas the only one I kept was the Porter and I did that by just copying it over as I didn't trust the installer. Luckily it worked. But I owned them all up to the Avanti and the Porter was the only one I wanted.FSD aircraft were 'must have' add-ons in the early days of FS2004 but things (and other developers) have moved on a bit since then I think.

[Guest BravoTango]

Please, please, please, research this as you are doing now. Search Avsim, Flightsim, heck do a google search on FSD. Why?I was a regular customer of FSD for many years, I purchased every aircraft they made, and never had a problem. Until I moved to a new home, I decided to do a complete re-install of FS9 and all my aircraft. However on installing my first FSD airplane (the Navajo), it returned an error code, simply saying that you need to send this code to FSD support. I did, a little while later I get a threatening legal notice, that I must submit to them funds for a stolen aircraft. What? I paid for this, I have my receipt. They accused me of stealing the 337. Saying there was evidence on my PC of my attempt to install a crack of some kind. I asked for proof, they gave me nothing!! They de-activated all of my previous purchases, until I paid for this supposed aircraft I stole. At that point you could only get the installers from them through a purchase email. How in the H E L L did I get the fricken installer to install or steal this aircraft? Well they surmized I or 'someone' else attempted to do this and that I must pay or else they will take whatever legal actions they see fit.They are rude, well you know what its just one person who is rude and a complete turn off. We know who that loud mouth is! I will continue to post and repost this for every request for info on FSD, as a simple warning. You don't think it will happen to you? Just wait. Am I bitter? You bet!!I will never ever buy from FSD again. And before you do, become an informed consumer.J. A.

[Dougal 165]

I too had that very same email from FSD. What an insult! It REALLY, REALLY hurt.As a few folk here will know, i have a medical condition that WILL kill me in the not too distant future. I've had this for some time, and have come to terms with this. This has had a profound effect on how i think about just about everything and, as a result, there's not much that 'gets' to me.Well, FSD are one very few that still make me mad - mad as ####!

[Guest TMMT]

I too had the same problems with the installer and the Seneca after an OS re-install.

[Bigmack 30]

>Please, please, please, research this as you are doing now. >Search Avsim, Flightsim, heck do a google search on FSD. >Why?>>I was a regular customer of FSD for many years, I purchased>every aircraft they made, and never had a problem. Until I>moved to a new home, I decided to do a complete re-install of>FS9 and all my aircraft. However on installing my first FSD>airplane (the Navajo), it returned an error code, simply>saying that you need to send this code to FSD support. I did,>a little while later I get a threatening legal notice, that I>must submit to them funds for a stolen aircraft. >>What? I paid for this, I have my receipt. They accused me of>stealing the 337. Saying there was evidence on my PC of my>attempt to install a crack of some kind. I asked for proof,>they gave me nothing!! They de-activated all of my previous>purchases, until I paid for this supposed aircraft I stole. >At that point you could only get the installers from them>through a purchase email. How in the H E L L did I get the>fricken installer to install or steal this aircraft? Well>they surmized I or 'someone' else attempted to do this and>that I must pay or else they will take whatever legal actions>they see fit.>>They are rude, well you know what its just one person who is>rude and a complete turn off. We know who that loud mouth is!> I will continue to post and repost this for every request for>info on FSD, as a simple warning. You don't think it will>happen to you? Just wait. Am I bitter? You bet!!>>I will never ever buy from FSD again. And before you do,>become an informed consumer.>>J. A. I experienced the same "I MUST BE STEALING" attitude from FSD about a year ago. I moved FS9 from my D drive to a new raid array C drive. Reinstalled windows and FS9 with no problem. All the AC I purchased from Flt 1, Lago,and Feelthere installed without a flaw. When I tried FSD ac, I kept getting install error telling to contact FSD. After posting for help on thier website,those arrogant #### removed my post and sent me a email accuseing of stealing thier products. I had at least 5 of thier AC I purchased from them. And they had the proof of purchase. But they insisted that I installed some hacking software from some person I never heard of that defeats thier protection. And I was SOL in getting to use what I paid for. I remind you this was on a brand new install of win XP and FS9.I believe sellers have a right to protect thier software. But when a paying customer is made to feel like a common crook, that's overkill.FSD is the only company out there that won't allow you to customize your panels the way you like, without jumping thru hoops. I own alot of payware aircrft, so I know these guys are wayyy over the top on paranoia.Bill M

[Glynn 405]

HelloIn defence of FSD i must say they are much better lately regarding reinstals. I have reinstalled my FSD planes recently without problem.My first ever payware purchase was the Commander 115TC and i had problems D/L it, the download was always incomplete.The resulting email exchanges with FSD nearly finished me with payware after that first experience. i even had problems with their software not working after converting a drive from Fat to NTFS.Anyway they are much better to deal with now in my experience and i still enjoy their aircraft, the cheyenne 400 still gets a lot of flight time.also Steve Small is right up there with rob young when it comes to flight moddeling IMHO

[Guest]

Well, I appreciate these folks that have bees in their bonnets :) There have been a couple of aircraft I would have purchased from FSD, but because of the numerous posts I have read concerning arrogance, threats, and accusations, I have never purchased - nor do I plan to.Seems like the posts in this thread have been polite and brief. I appreciate the heads up from people who have been burned - and there do seem to be quite a few of them.Thanks,Paul Dahlen

[Bigmack 30]

I don't think no one is questioning FSD ability to make a quality AC. Since FS 2002 I've been a faithful customer. It's the way they treat thier customers and the way their copy protection won't allow you to modify the panel the way you like unless jumping thru hoops, takes the fun out of flying their AC.Bill M

[Guest SoarPics]

In defence of FSD i must say they are much better lately regarding reinstals.May be too late for that. Their reputation is so tainted at this point that far too many people are afraid to deal with them. The reality is FSD is more interested in pointing the accusatory finger at anyone they believe to be a pirate (and that's anybody who breathes) than they are offering good products as well as support to customers. So be it....also Steve Small is right up there with rob young when it comes to flight moddeling IMHOThere was a day when the former was the defacto leader in flightmodeling, but today there are many outstanding flightmodelers as good or even better... among them Rob Young. IMHO[/i]