If you own the FSD International Piaggio P180 Avanti, can you please respond with your thoughts of the plane?Thanks

I like itIm using it mostly since I got it, like a new toy I guess. That wears off,The VC is nice, even though some switches have to be accessed through the 2DThe night ligting in the cabin was too bright for me so I made my own set of fx_vclight files. If you know how to do this it helps. I also made shortcuts keystrokes for a few things like hdg_bug etc..It flies well. Requires thorough reading of POH One of their better products. Good for the price.I was hesitant to get it now Im glad I did, but like I said, I know how to tweak to my own taste....allen

I agree with Allen's observations. In addition, since I still enjoy flying with FS2002 from time to time, and since most add-on developers have quit writing for FS2002, I'd say it's the best add-on released for FS2002 in a long time. -John

The Avanti is a nice airplane. I have to admit that, having gotten RealAir's Spitfire in about the same timespan, I've become a bit more jaded (3D gauges bring a whole new feel to the virtual cockpit), but the Avanti is reasonably fun to fly.However, I am a bit peeved that my GoFlight hardware doesn't work in all cases with it; the biggest problems are in the autopilot. For no reason that I can discern, some things cannot be controlled with my GF-MCP autopilot panel (altitude preselect and vertical rate don't work).My MCP works fine with an even more complex aircraft model - the Aeroworx KingAir - so I don't see why FSD has to code the AP this way.I had the same problem with their Navajo Panther, and consequently probably put less than 5 hours in that model before shelving it... What I've realized is that before I buy any more payware airplanes, I have to wait and see how new products work with hardware (or if they don't, whether they at least provide keystroke access to cockpit functions) based on user experience.I'm sure that some folks will be scratching their heads as to why I'm "nitpicking" this one thing, but I have a considerable investment in sim hardware and I want to be able to *use* it as much as possible and keep my grimy digits off the keyboard and (especially) the mouse.Dave Blevins

Retraction:I just installed the Navajo on my new sim PC - hadn't yet done this until tonight, after making my post above - and after a few minutes in the Navajo I realize that my memory is fogged up. The AP seems to work fine. Maybe I'm thinking of some other function that doesn't work with my GF stuff, and I'll go off and try to figure that out, but in the meantime I wanted to correct my post.I had forgotten what a *great* panel the Navajo has - the custom gauges are quite unique and eye-pleasing as well. Goody - a "new" airplane to fiddle with this week!Mo' latah.My bad,Dave Blevins

The AP has been custom coded because of the interaction of it and the flight computer in its advanced state. Try using your Go-Flight module with the advanced AP unchecked, and then it should mimic the behaviour of the default FS autopilot.Regards,Owen

I thought I had tried both settings, but I'll go back and try it again.thx,dB.

Owen:I also have the GO-Flight Autopilot. The Altitude and VS functions do not work with the Avanti. In order to change altitude/VS the knobs on the panel must be used. The GO-Flight will show the settings but will not change the settings on the aircraft. All the other functions will control the aircraft.I am using it with the advanced AP unchecked.maxsdad

That was exactly my experience - thanks for saving me the trouble of verifying it.I personally could see *no* difference between the two AP options, but then I haven't flown the airplane too much yet (partially due to this issue).thx,dB.

The difference is mostly in the interaction between the FMC and the autopilot. If you aren't using the FMC for altitude changes you wouldn't notice a difference.Zane

Zane:Could you please explain what you mean. I am not touching the FMC when I fly so I don't understand what you are referring to.maxsdad

If you set an altitude for the vnav function in the FMC the advanced autopilot will interact and make the altitude change in accordance with the FMC settings. The non-advanced autopilot acts like the default FS2004 autopilot and won't interact with the FMC.Zane

I like the plane, however, it is a speed demon. It is very hard to slow down in descents. I am trying to ping a few real world pilots of the Piaggio and get their input. The flight dynamics don't seem quite right to me. But FSD says they are:)It is kind of like a sports car for airplanes. It handles OK, but it kind of jittery and too sensitive for me. The manual says it will go 360+ knots, but at lower altitudes, it redlines at 260. Which again is probably spec. FSD did a nice job on the 2D panel, one thing I noticed and wondered if anyone else did, is that it doesn't track the GS on an ILS approach quite right. I tend to porpoise. I may not have the configuration quite right. Maybe I have to set the trim prior to engauging it.Also, as far as I can tell so far, you have to start this puppy manually, no autostart here (or at least it doesn't work or I haven't set something correctly to do so).Overall a good A/C but still need to work out some of the kinks (pilot wise).Barry

The altitude and VS settings can not be controlled using GoFlight modules with the basic autopilot.

260 knots indicated, 400 knots groundspeed at altitude.I've no problems with it that are IMO caused by the aircraft rather than my (so far) lack of experience with it.Don't come in for landing too steep or you may not be able to get the nose up.Don't try to taxi at high speeds or you may flip over, the narrow gauge main gear sees to that (rather like a military jet). This might be a bit overdone, I agree.As with all high performance aircraft, plan your descent. If you have trouble slowing down you don't give it enough time and come in on final too steep.On ILS it bobs a bit sometimes, but from what I've seen it overshoots the slope only once and then settles onto the glideslope quite nicely.That's better than a lot of other FS aircraft, both freeware and commercial, that I've seen.