FSX-MS Virtualcol Dash-8

[Aviationsim4862 3]

Has anyone ventured out to buy the new Virtualcol Dash-8? I'm curious to know how to performs. How are the flight dynamics, flight deck animations and experience, etc? There's no other complete, working Dash-8-100 in Flight Sim. I work on the plane in real life, so I've been looking for a somewhat decent -100. Would anyone be able to post a video of the aircraft in action in flight sim?

 

-thank you

[avgaskoolaid 292]

Has anyone ventured out to buy the new Virtualcol Dash-8? I'm curious to know how to performs. How are the flight dynamics, flight deck animations and experience, etc? There's no other complete, working Dash-8-100 in Flight Sim. I work on the plane in real life, so I've been looking for a somewhat decent -100. Would anyone be able to post a video of the aircraft in action in flight sim?

 

-thank you

I have it, and I'd say that it is a step up from the PAD freeware version. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. It costs $19.90, and includes every repaint imaginable for the Q100-400, 149 in total (works out to about 13 cents per plane). It has the same level of functionality as a default aircraft, with a teeny bit more realism (as in a bunch of clickable switches that don't do much of anything). The VC looks kinda cartoony, but the external model isn't half bad. The flight dynamics seem to be acceptable, but the sound package is a modified version of the same turboprop sound that virtualcol usues with all of their props. With all that said, I don't regret buying it. It's a fun way to perform quick flights, and as you said is the only 'working' Q100 and Q200. Use it for when you get home after a long day of work and have a taste for some turboprop flying but don't have the energy to fire up the Majestic Q400. 

 

Then again, I like quick stupid flights every now and then. If you're like those who enjoy exactly replicating flights that happened the day before, down to airspeed flown, load, and such, this isn't the airplane for you.

[Gartro 18]

I also bought the Virtualcol Dash 8 but it is not yet installed. Therefore, I don't know how it performs.

 

When I went to install it, and pressed the “Start” box to install, there was a pop-up message with the heading “Dash 8 Series X Install Program” and which read “One or more files are write protected. Do you want to overwrite them anyway”. Not knowing what was doing the overwriting and what files were being overwritten and the effect of that, I aborted the installation.

 

This morning I sent an email to Virtualcol asking what was doing the overwriting and what files were being overwritten and the effect of that and saying that I had not received such a message when installing any other of their aircraft. I received a prompt reply but it does not assist me. It read:

"Have you any our other products? Or it’s possible you have installed dsd_battery_charger.dll a library installed for other products payware or freeware because it module allows extend battery life in FSX.  Don’t worry Sr, our products are tested ALWAYS with two antivirus and antispyware before to publish."

 

Hamoody, did you receive such a message when you did your installation?

 

 I have found the exteriors of the various Virtualcol aircraft to be very good. The recently released Saab 340 is a good example. However, in my opinion and as Hamoody observed, unfortunately the interior and the VC of the Virtualcol aircraft don't match the quality of the exteriors. That is not necessarily surprising. The products generally sell at a cheap price (all of their other aircraft cost USD $12.50 or less) and represent value for such a price. However, I would prefer to pay double the price to get a Virtualcol aircraft of which I felt that the interior matched the quality of the exterior.

 

Gary

[avgaskoolaid 292]

I also bought the Virtualcol Dash 8 but it is not yet installed. Therefore, I don't know how it performs.

 

When I went to install it, and pressed the “Start” box to install, there was a pop-up message with the heading “Dash 8 Series X Install Program” and which read “One or more files are write protected. Do you want to overwrite them anyway”. Not knowing what was doing the overwriting and what files were being overwritten and the effect of that, I aborted the installation.

 

This morning I sent an email to Virtualcol asking what was doing the overwriting and what files were being overwritten and the effect of that and saying that I had not received such a message when installing any other of their aircraft. I received a prompt reply but it does not assist me. It read:

"Have you any our other products? Or it’s possible you have installed dsd_battery_charger.dll a library installed for other products payware or freeware because it module allows extend battery life in FSX.  Don’t worry Sr, our products are tested ALWAYS with two antivirus and antispyware before to publish."

 

Hamoody, did you receive such a message when you did your installation?

 

 I have found the exteriors of the various Virtualcol aircraft to be very good. The recently released Saab 340 is a good example. However, in my opinion and as Hamoody observed, unfortunately the interior and the VC of the Virtualcol aircraft don't match the quality of the exteriors. That is not necessarily surprising. The products generally sell at a cheap price (all of their other aircraft cost USD $12.50 or less) and represent value for such a price. However, I would prefer to pay double the price to get a Virtualcol aircraft of which I felt that the interior matched the quality of the exterior.

 

Gary

I did get this message, but figured that it was just because I had installed other Virtualcol products. I confirmed the overwrite, installed it, and have not seen any negative effects. Their Saab was their latest release before the Dash, so maybe it contains a new gauge/file that it shares with the Dash, which is why you did not see it when installing other Virtualcol products before. Virtualcol is a trustworthy company, so I wouldn't be afraid. If you are still unsure, just create a restore point before you install it so you can go back if something goes wrong. 

 

It should be noted that, despite English being his second language, the Virtualcol developer is very helpful and responsive. Originally, the Saab's aileron animation was reversed. I contacted him and he released a service pack the next day fixing the problem. Although I don't fly the Saab much because the engines on the 340 look very odd (too narrow, like they've been squished), they're still a good developer that doesn't try to be something that they are not.

[Fi5kuS 57]

Does it come with a functional FMC?

[Jimmy RFR 406]

I bought this, with an eye to having a 'lite' -100/-200/-300 to tool around in for short hops.  I wanted something that I could jump in and go, and also to simply drop the GTN 750 into and run short easy flights with.  I was also swayed by the huge amount of repaints they've included in the package.

 

I looked carefully at the screenshots provided, as well as at the screens provided by others, so I figured I knew what I was getting into, knowing that the VC wasn't going to be anything near top-of-the-line quality.

 

However, it really hasn't met my even limited expectations.

 

While I found the FDE more or less acceptable, it's engine modelling is not.  Changes in power result in large swings up and down.  I had the thing try and take off on me while doing a manual start-up. The condition levers are strange too; on the MJ Q400 the assigned prop controls become the condition levers, but on this one the mixture controls become the visible condition levers, but there still seems to be interaction if you use the prop controls, and the mixture controls mostly act only like they are controlling mixture, if that makes sense.  Screwy, regardless, and a world away from what seems right.

 

There's other annoying visual stuff, like the props clipping the model when feathered, for example, but none of it is quite a deal killer to me as the engine controls are.

 

To be honest, a few hours in this release simply made me re-install the MJ Q400 and start flying it again.  Sad to say, but I likely wasted my money.

[BMagann 11]

I have it and enjoy it. the question you might want to ask yourself is this: Do I enjoy flying the stock FSX 737? If you do, then you will likely love this. If you hate the stock 737, you will likely hate this. There is a little more depth here, but not much.

 

I have both the Majestic Dash 8 and this one, and they serve completely different purposes. This is for jumping into and having a quick turbo-prop flight. It is in no way a "study sim".

 

As far as cockpit graphics go, the whole point is that the graphics are easy on the frame rate. If frame rate is very important to you than this might please you.  

[ellipirelli 1]

I have it and I like especially the Q 100. Nothing for hard core simmers but fair enough for a quick and dirty hop. I do however have a problem to land their Q 400. For some unknown reason the engines do not go on idle and instead they seem to spool up again a bit just to avoid the plane to touch down. This happens with the aircraft configured according to Virtualcols own checklists or in any other configuration. As if some hidden autothrottle sytstem would be working in the background. Affected is only the Q 400. Strange thing is, that this is happening as well with their Saab 2000 but not the 340. I must have missed some point here......Support has not been able to help here.

[BMagann 11]

Yeah, in the 400 I can never land until more than half-way down the runway either! I thought it was just me being incompetent. I will have to do a test and see if the engines spool up as you say.

[antonvs 76]

I also bought the Virtualcol Dash 8 but it is not yet installed. Therefore, I don't know how it performs.

 

Gary

Hi Gary, wonder if you got this going and what you think now. I too have the Maj Q400 but like the idea of a quick alternative and all the paints are attractive.

 

Cheers Anton.

[Gartro 18]

Anton

 

See here: http://pcaviatorforums.com/index.php/topic/254-bombardier-dash-8-q400-package/page-3#entry4879

 

The Virtualcol VC is not as good as that of the Majestic 300 and 400 (I prefer the 300 to the 400) but the Virtualcol is much easier to fly than the Majestic models. It provides the "quick alternative" you are looking for.

 

Gary

[BMagann 11]

Did anyone ever get an answer to why the engines on the 400 don't want to idle during landing? Perhaps there is something we need to do with the condition levers that isn't obvious? Any help would be appreciated.

[hebrew 0]

Did anyone ever get an answer to why the engines on the 400 don't want to idle during landing? Perhaps there is something we need to do with the condition levers that isn't obvious? Any help would be appreciated.

There is now a update out,get it at you Simmarket account.

 

It fix the flaps setting for landing,now you can get the bird on the ground.

[BMagann 11]

Thank you for the info. I didn't buy it from Simmarket, and PCAviator doesn't seem to have it up yet. I will pester them.

[BMagann 11]

The fine folks at Virtualcol sent me the file within two hours of my asking. Can't beat that!