No doubt, some pilots have purchased the Kodiak for Christmas.It is a great plane, but the G1000 can use a bit of work..If you like to use the mouse wheel for the knobs andyou'd like the PFD cleaned up a bit visually, send me a PMwith your email address.

My only issue with the Kodiak is the FDE. While I know the aircraft is powerful, I can't start the engine without it lurching forward so severely that it almost leaves the ground. Parking brake doesn't do a thing. Taxiing is also a challenge.

 

+1 and I am a little baffled with having to keep the yoke turned to maintain a bank angle?

According to everything I've read about the real Kodiak, this is the way it was designed...Before starting the engine, make certain that the condition lever is set to idle position.

According to everything I've read about the real Kodiak, this is the way it was designed...Before starting the engine, make certain that the condition lever is set to idle position.

Do you have the Kodiak? If so, what does it do when you start the engine?For me - condition set at what appears to be idle, parking brakes on, engine starts and aircraft accelerates to 100+ kts. That can't be normal.

Do you have the Kodiak? If so, what does it do when you start the engine?For me - condition set at what appears to be idle, parking brakes on, engine starts and aircraft accelerates to 100+ kts. That can't be normal.

No, that is most assuredly not normal! If you have hardware controls, cycle all the levers fully forward then aft prior to starting. If you have to use the keyboard, cycle all of the controls prior to startup. F1, Ctrl-Shift+F1, and Shift+F1 to ensure they are all at minimum position.Yes, I've had the Kodiak since long before Bill O. ever released it! It was I who developed the panel night lighting, and as well used the Kodiak as the development example for the "White Paper" I wrote for Microsoft/ACES a few years ago on the topic of advanced "Emissive Backlighting."

Hey Jeff!I also have the Kodiak and use it extensively. Both the throttle and the condition lever are quite sensitive at startup. If you make certain both your throttle and your condition lever are fully aft you should not have the problem at startup you describe. I realize the instructions call for the condition lever to be slightly forward at startup. I do not do that. I place both throttle and, more importantly, the condition in a fully closed position. Once you engage your starter, allow it to spool up and stabilize and then slightly move your condition lever forward only to the point that the prop starts turning. That is generally sufficient to start the engine and will not cause the Kodiak to lurch forward. Make sure the parking brake is set, otherwise you may get a little creep anyway.Hope this helps!Take care.JohnEDIT: One other thing - I find the Kodiak's rudder response also very sensitive. I also was bothered by having to continually put pressure on the yoke to maintain a turn - until I noticed I was not providing enough rudder to fully coordinate the turn. If you watch closely the indicator on the PFD and keep it centered while turning you should have little or no problem. In fact, if you over apply the Kodiak's rudder it will sharpen the turn considerably and you will find yourself having to apply opposite pressure on the yoke just to get you back to where you wanted to be. Take yours up and experiment and see if you don't find that to be the case.