Honestly I think I prefer Alabeo over Carenado. They're doing the kind of simple, more basic aircraft that Carenado used to do. Simple, cheap, look pretty, fun to fly.

 

Both Carenado and Alabeo aricraft are glitchy and broken, but it's more acceptable with a $20 addon than a $40 one.

The manual was never a problem for me there are lots of sights to find a free version of the POH and if you can't find it by the plane you can normally find it by looking up the engine like someone already stated. I also found a free version of the checklist and it would be simple for someone to port over and put it into place. 

 

I flew for a while last night and I did re-download the staggerwing and the compass was fixed as someone else stated. The plane is extremely easy to ground loop as also stated by someone. For me the prop controls Seem fine at max however if I bought it back to half it would slow the RPM then surge back up again almost like it cycled twice or something through the 100% of pitch.  Also fuel tank selectors the text seemed to all say left tank on everything. I didn't get to check for proper operation with it and I didn't check after the new download. I will try to do more testing today.

 

Overall this is a great buy at $19.95 as others have stated. Any bugs that exist should be simple fixes and lack of documentation is easily fixed.

 

 

It is not necessarily a problem. Like most of piston engine aircraft, applying proper mixture, propeller knobs, a bit of priming, and magnetos, it will likely run. I was just saying they never included manual. However, I have similar priced add ons that come with manual, regardless how "lite" they are. Low cost doesnt mean less safer than full service, otherwise, no one flies with Southwest. At least, give us a normal procedure checklist and we'll be good. In this area, Alabeo shows they really ARE Carenado's subsidiary.

All of life is glitchy and broken, how you cope with that is your choice.

All of life is glitchy and broken, how you cope with that is your choice.

 

You are so wise. I'm impressed. Thank you

All of life is glitchy and broken, how you cope with that is your choice.

 

Duct tape and superglue work best for me.

 

 

About that ground-looping issue: Did you guys lock the tailwheel?

 

 

I don't know about the other person however the ground loop effect is not so much the plane its self as accu-feel from A2A providing a little to much fuselage drag in a crosswind landing.  It makes it easy to over correct the wing tip will hit the ground or you will ground loop.

 

Yes the tailwheel was locked and I did correct for crosswind.  Its similar to landing the default Microsoft J3 cub in a crosswind where it wants to flip at low speed just before stopping.

Is it just me and/or my setup or does the tail wheel not unlock again once you've locked it? I actually like the squirrely tail wheel ("more challenge!"), but noticed after unlocking the tail wheel after landing that it was like trying to turn the Titanic..... bug or feature or something on my system???

Tail wheel locked (that helps a lot) Accufeel side forces knocked down to about a quarter(that goes for ALL aircraft) and using the Sammy Davis Jr technique on the pedals! Just about keeps it the right way up. :smile:

Here's my thoughts:

 

Also the prop seems to be modeled correctly (Bernt Stolle pointed out that the sound seems to be backwards - I concur). In that pulling the big radial prop back allows for increased air speed. (Less drag from big prop). I had her up to 210mph with the prop pulled back to the green arc. Mixture leaned a little at 2500 ft.  This is correct behavior.  Check out the A2A Civilian Mustang.  When you pull the prop back (to a certain degree), you speed up.  That monster prop acts like a brick wall when fully coarse.  The prop isn't as large on the D17S as a Mustang but it's still pretty big.

 

 

 

I'm enjoying it. To me, the FDE feels believable. I get that big heavy sloppy feeling on landing... and when you get nice and slow the rudder authority goes to crap. I have to work the pedals on takeoff (especially if pulling tail off the ground). It seems to handle a slight crosswind ok (using crab then forward slip). Decent roll rate, at least what I'd expect for a lumbering beast (though at 210mph it's not exactly lumbering it's speedy!).

 

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r43/ryanbatc/d17s.jpg~original[\IMG]

 

Looking at your main photo kind of reminds me of the Spartan, minus the upper wing of the Stagger!

If anyone would prefer this:

 

 

To this:

 

 

PM me if you like.

 

Personally, it was driving me nuts trying to make the yoke shadow move, I was all over the sky!

Yupp.. it has the sweet looks

I'm not sure if everyone is aware, or if I'm simply the last to know, but Alabeo have updated the Staggerwing and sorted out the cock-eyed prop! :smile:  Just re download it.

To anyone searching for a POH like I have been for DAYS....check here... Its from the UC-43 / GB-2, but same bird none the less.  Cheers!

 

http://www.avialogs.com/index.php/en/aircraft/usa/beechcraft/model17staggerwing/an-01-90cc-1-pilots-flight-operating-instructions-for-uc-43-gb-2-and-traveller-airplanes.html