We are trying something new and different today. We have just posted a user's survey of the FFS Kingair, which was recently released. If you have purchased the Kingair, we would like your vote:http://www.avsim.com/nabopoll/vote.php?surv=4Please do not take the poll if you have not purchased or flown this product.Thanks, and let us know what you think of the poll and its use in the future.

Great idea! I know it will sure help me in deciding what to purchase. ( Well not really. Seems like I buy everything that comes out) :-beerchug

Yeah, this should be an excellent resource to help make buying decisions. Any plans to backtrack and do polls on products that have been out for a while?

Tom,I think this is a wonderful idea. Even though I do purchase "almost" all new products released, I do rely a lot on the vast knowledge and experience base of the readers of this column.Thanks a lot,Howard

Howard, George and all...I have sat here and watched the votes roll in since I posted the poll and have been doing a little refining (in my mind) of the approach. If we were to implement this as a permanent fixture on AVSIM, here are some of my thoughts on the subject:1.) We would not want to do retroactive product polls. I don't think any benefit would come from doing that, and frankly it would take too much labor to accomplish.2.) I think we need to refine some of our questions/answers. For example, the concluding question "Overall, would you recommend this product?" and its answers need some refinement. 3.) I think there should be some standardization across questions and the same goes for product types - i.e., aircraft, scenery, utils, base packages, etc. so that each product released basicaly has the same common "yardstick" placed against it.4.) Were we to do this, I suspect we would want to do it in conjunction with our review of a product and place the poll on the review page.5.) I think we would / should probably do a RESULTS page where we list all of polls run for viewing by potential purchasers.6.) We should never ever do freeware polls.Just some emerging thoughts on the subject.

I think in principle that it's a very useful idea.However, something like this could become very destructive if the poll reflects the view of those who delight in troublemaking.I would suggest that results are not published until a reasonable number of votes have been counted which would reflect a fair number of users.The figure of at least 200 votes jumps to mind as being the minimum to ensure a fair result.Suggestion for questionnair:Perhaps a question along the lines of:Tick the best attribute:() Model Quality() Documentation() Flight Handling (case of aircraft)() Vitual Cockpit useability (case of aircraft)() Frame Rate Impact() Price/Value() Accuracy (case of scenery)Tick the worst attribute:() Model Quality() Documentation() Flight Handling (case of aircraft)() Vitual Cockpit useability (case of aircraft)() Frame Rate Impact() Price/Value() Accuracy (case of scenery)GreetingsDave

Tom,The poll seems to be missing questions relating to installation and registration. Purchasing and downloading is not particularly intuitive but I managed, Once I understood that I was downloading from a different company's site from which I made the purchase. Registration is not yet possible as the process is locking up FS. Therfore I can't offer input as to the quality of the B200 model.

Tom,Good ideas. I think Dave's point is something to think about also. A minimum number of votes would be useful to "filter out" the "stirrers"jAlso Tom, if I can do anything to help with getting this going or keeping up with it, I would be happy to do so.

>jAlso Tom, if I can do anything to help with getting this>going or keeping up with it, I would be happy to do so.I doubt I could be of much service, but I too offer my services to you if you are in need.

This is a excellent idea. A product poll would be a wonderful tool to help potential buyers of a product, and would supplement the product reviews very well. I always find it hard to find just a simple view of how the most important aspects of a product score. Cheers

Absolutely correct.I wish I had a dime for every "hot" FS product I downloaded, struggled to get registered. Struggled because of a several of problems, some mine, some theirs - then couldn't get the confounded thing installed. This resulted in coming to this forum and begging for help. (which I always got but shouldn't have been ncessary in the first place.)We are not all rocket scientists in this FS thing.Thanks,

I was able to do the registration by downloading and installing the product, then loading Flt Sim and then the aircraft. Before clicking on the Aeroworx tab to register, select windows mode (ALT-ENTER). I could then use the Aeroworx tab without locking up.Hope this helps,Dale

Hi Tom,How about these ideas to improve the "quality" of the results so they are not biased by people who don't even have the product.Instead of "asking" if they have the product, ask them to type the third word following "something" from the installation instructions.If you find "that word

Hey Duck,Registration is possible, we have had many successful ones. In some video cards, the dialogs don't show in full screen, so you have to go to Windowed Mode to see them. You can come into LiveHelp at any time of day or night, any day of the week, and we can have you straightened out in less than 5 minutes.ALso, don't understand purchasing from one company and downloading from another? Both processes are done at Flight Factory's website, at www.ffs-sim.com

Just as long as we give each party the right of rebutle, I think it's a good idea.