Unfortunately, this is what I just got done posting in their forums...

Hi there,First post and I regret it is not a pleasant one...So as my United Express flights have pretty much all been on Dash 8 flights recently I decided to take the plunge and purchase the Majestic Dash 8 as an upgrade to my PSS version (FS9). I can say it has thoroughly ruined my Friday night. Bought it and installed it fine. Updated to the latest .06 version. Made .ini changes per documentation. One thing I did was work to resolve my own issues and read thoroughly before I did anything...Problem # 1. Could not assign throttles or props. Search all over the forums to find you have to assign throttles to 3 and 4 instead of 1 and 2. So I now have to reset all my FS defaults and configure everything again through FSUIPC. (The frustration begins)Problem # 2. Prop feathering... Still working on that one with my Saitek throttle quad but I can get it between min/max only, not down to feather without it going to fuel cutoff...Problem # 3. Engines won't start. After an hour on the ground trying everything then more searching on the forums I saw multiple messages about this and numerous suggestions including undoing some of the sound changes in the .ini but the one to not open any 2-D panels prior to engine start seems to be the only one working for now... Great, the VC textures aren't exactly crystal clear so this does pose some challenges...Problem # 4. Can't get off the darn ground!! This one happened after almost 6 hours of installing, reading the manuals, dealing with all of the issues above, finally getting everything but the feathering working through reading, scouring the forums and deciding to do a flight now I finally have my controls 90% working. So I go through complete pre-flight from cold and dark, manually set up FMS, get the engines started, taxi out to 4L at EWR, unlock the throttles to ensure 100% power and here we go but I can't get past 70kts. Another 45 minutes wasted as I abort the takeoff, declare mech and head back to the terminal to figure out what the issue is now. So it is back to the forums and after even more searching I pick up another tip about the spoilers deploying on takeoff!So back into FS, quick setup for test, down the runway, stuck at 70kts, hit the spoilers and sure enough away she goes. Get 100 feet off the ground and the spoilers deploy themself sending me crashing back to the ground. Seriously? I have never had this much frustration with all my other FS-Addons combined... Using FSpassengers since release without ever killing my pilot until tonight. More searching and I finally find another tip to reset the spoiler axis in FSUIPC. So now I have done that but naturally the spoilers don't work anymore!I know this is a highly advanced add-on but I don't understand why it has to be so difficult to just get it configured when every other add-on including PMDG, LVL-D, PSS etc. can all work with basic things like throttles, spoilers, engine starts right out of the box. To be honest if this was a Flight -One product I would have given up as soon as I realized I was going to have to change all my controls. But after nearly 6 hours not even being able to get off the ground due to "quirks" is completely unacceptable. No add-on is worth this much frustration and I will write this one off as bad purchase and move on however I wanted to at least take the time to vent my frustrations as I already wasted my entire Friday night so what is ten more minutes to vent...Signing off now at 1:50 am after beginning the process at 7:30pm and figuring I would have been done with my flight and enjoying the rest of my night over 4 hours ago.Very frustrating,-Paul Solk order # ********M0EG.

I feel for you mate :-(On the positive side, at least you know that your advice will prevent people like me suffering the same hassle. Thanks for that. I'll give this product a miss.Just a note to any newer members - Paul's been here a while, I know I can trust his opinion.

Hello Paul.The Majestic Dash-8 is working fine here, as you have found out you do need to use Fsuipc and set the throttles to engines 3 and four.If you use the profiles function in Fsuipc you can set the Dash-8 to this configuration without affecting your other (normal) addonsThe Throttle mapping was done this way to get around limitations in FS9 and FSX's turboprop simulation.To get the Saitek Throttles working properly you need to follow this forum post which contains the ini file settings that work for the Saitek units,http://198.164.146.97/fanda/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=164&sid=017b5571de9082e89510bf3904b0d87eStick with it, it is a nice aircraft once you have got Fsuipc set up for it and the ini file edits made, probably the best turboprop simulation for FS9 (graphics aside)

Hello Paul,I'm sorry to hear that you had such a fustrating time with the Majestic Software Dash-8 Q300 product. I'm also a customer of their Dash8, though I'm a very satisfied one. The immediate difference between our setups is the hardware. I'm just using keyboard and a game controller and it's running alright. From reading the copy of your post from the Majestic Software forums, I do hope you come back and keep with it.I've had an OK time with controlling the feathering and throttles with my keyboard or controller, and I'm able to do a full cold start. The problems that I've encountered have been with the throttles snapping back to reverse thrust or to idle when I just wanted to decrease them a little. The other is that my plane still wants to move forward with the parking brake on. That issue is well known. On occasions I do have instances where the plane's AP seems to loose the course I was on, then proceed to bank sharply to circle around to get back on course. I also have noticed that going over speed does some weird things when on AP.Dispite all of that I enjoy it. I do wish they'd give a VC texture update but oh well. Majestic Software is doing their best to provide support of their aging Dash 8Q300, while developing the new Q400 that looks GREAT.I hope you get some help. The adminastrator called Boss always helps and does his best. He checks and replies in a reasonable amount of time. I've enjoyed answering back and see him give the best help he can.Good Luck Paul.

Thanks for sharing that, Paul. I've been looking around for a Dash 8 for a while; I have a feeling that you may have just delivered me from what sounds like a bit of a nightmare...Cheers,Dave

Thanks Gavin, Mad Dog, Derek and Dave!Gavin, I really appreciate your kind words.I want to make clear my purpose was not to bash a developer. Before I ever posted this I spent literally hours and hours perusing the forums, going through the docs and attempting to help myself. My point was that it should not be that difficult in the first place. I also posted in the appropriate developers forums and unfortunately these are not just RTFM issues.Mad Dog,Thank you, I had already found that link and made the change to my .ini last night. That plus the change to throttles 3 and 4 "fixed" the throttle issues however the prop pitch issue remains. The one constant I saw was Derek's feedback about using CTRL+F1 - CTRL+F4 for prop control. (Thank you Derek) although that is not what one would expect out of a product of this caliber when they have invested a lot of money in hardware.Derek, I too saw the plane moving with PB on in Flight Idle and the "lurch" when moving to Flight Idle with PB on... Another frustration but one I could work around I suppose. I also saw the option to increase the braking in the .cfg ( I think I read every darn post in their forums LOL)I also agree for what they are asking in terms of $$ the VC needs a complete overhaul. It is not comparable to other products in that price point anymore. Not by a long shot.So in conclusion, I am sure this is a very fine aircraft in terms of systems siumlations. Probably one of the best. But the difficulty in getting it configured combined with it's numerous "quirks" and the lack of up to date VC textures do not warrant the $40 of the base package IMHO...I am OCD so I doubt I will be able to leave it in the hangar knowing I have not mastered it but that is more of a sense of personal accomplishment and desire to figure things out than a desire to actually fly this bird anymore if that makes sense...Cheers everyone, I will keep this thread updated based on the support I get in the Q3 forums and my own progress in figuring all of this out.Again, to my original point though, it should not be this difficult and if these have been known issues for years why is it not the first section of the manual to save endless hours of frustration?-Paul

Sorry to hear about your problems Paul.They are finishing Dash 8 Q400 for FSX. What a pity there is going to be no FS9 version for us.The VC looks an era better than the old Q-300 (do you know this simulation is more than 10 years old now?).

I have this product and it definitely has more than its fair share of "ups and downs." (Yes I know - terrible pun)... When you can work around all the quirks, it can be fun and it is certainly a challenge! I do wish the developer would put some time into updating it as it is by no means an inexpensive product and at this point, is definitely over-priced in comparison to other products that are available.Unless you are really keen to have a Dash-8, there are probably better things to spend your money on. But if you do master it, it can be quite satisfying once you can operate it effectively. I definitely wouldn't put it on my "do not buy" list --- it really does have some positives. But it's not on my "you really must buy" list either. (Unlike the iFly 737, DF 727, CS C130 and Aeroworx Kingair - all of which are never, ever going to be removed from my aircraft folder and are flown constantly)

I have this product and it definitely has more than its fair share of "ups and downs." (Yes I know - terrible pun)... When you can work around all the quirks, it can be fun and it is certainly a challenge! I do wish the developer would put some time into updating it as it is by no means an inexpensive product and at this point, is definitely over-priced in comparison to other products that are available.Unless you are really keen to have a Dash-8, there are probably better things to spend your money on. But if you do master it, it can be quite satisfying once you can operate it effectively. I definitely wouldn't put it on my "do not buy" list --- it really does have some positives. But it's not on my "you really must buy" list either. (Unlike the iFly 737, DF 727, CS C130 and Aeroworx Kingair - all of which are never, ever going to be removed from my aircraft folder and are flown constantly)

Thanks Ian,I actually think you are spot on... As promised I said I would report back when I got feedback in the Q3 forums. Boss did reply and confirm the settings I needed including resetting the spoiler axis in FSUIPC. Despite my frustrations my OCD did take over as expected and I gave her another shot tonight. Exactly as Ian said, once you get over the quirks it is quite enjoyable. Is it worth the money they are asking for it today, I don't think so... The sounds are great, flight model was phenomenal but the VC textures show their age as Rafal pointed out. To put it in perspective you can fly from the VC only if you memorize where everything is. If you need to read what a switch/button does you need to bring up the 2D as you can read the gauges but virtually none of the writing in the VC. So after spending the time to get all of the controls working and figuring out the quirks I did have an enjoyable flight. If you NEED a Dash-8 there aren't too many other options out there. But at the same time I would not put it on my to buy list and other than the short hops I need it for to satisfy the simulation of my RW flights I won't be doing any flights just to fly this plane if that makes sense.But I said I would report back so job done.Cheers,-Paul