Hi Jim.All I can say is that if it has Chelton Glass cockpit and that sweet paint job, it will be great. Eric

<>Assuming the Commander will be up to your normal outstanding quality standards joining AOPA for 39 bucks to get the airplane AND a subscription to one of the world's greatest aviation magazines and THE world's greatest general aviation advocacy group is a no brainer!Brilliant marketing idea by the way.Regards,Jim

Hi,We already can start to download the (original) manuals....http://www.commander.org/Bergcom/Tech/POH.htm

Even if you're not an AOPA member, you can find lots of useful information on the Web site they've created for Flight Simulator pilots (http://www.aopa.org/special/microsoft/flightsim.html). You'll find more free information at the Web site of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation:http://www.aopa.org/asf/

It's here!http://www.aopa.org/sweeps/flyI know what I'll be doing when I get home tonight.

I just downloaded it and now to try it out. I think I got my sim half-way stable again to test it.----------------------------------------------------------------John MorganReal World: KGEG, UND Aerospace Spokane Satillite, Private ASEL 141.2 hrs, 314 landings, 46 inst. apprs.Virtual: MSFS 2004"There is a feeling about an airport that no other piece of ground can have. No matter what the name of the country on whose land it lies, an airport is a place you can see and touch that leads to a reality that can only be thought and felt." - The Bridge Across Forever: A Love Story by Richard Bach

Well, I have some problems with it.Outlined Here:http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=717Nice Aircraft, I posted some Screenshots here:http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...id=207345&page=VC leaves a bit to be desired, in my opinion, and it takes long to load up as well, in my opinion.The 2D Panel is very well done, and the pop-up panels work well also.All in all, worth my $39 membership in AOPA, which makes this a Payware Aircraft since you have to be a paid member to download.I do wonder if the developer received compensation for this.Not sure I would pay $39 just to grab this, but one would also get AOPA Pilot magazine for 12 Months if they do. Their Choice I guess. If one is a Pilot, or thinking of being a pilot, it definitely is worth it.Frame Rates are ok, but I have a pretty good system now. maybe some with a lower end system can report.Regards,JoeGrab My FREEWARE Voice recognition Profiles here:[a href=http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fs2004misc&DLID=58334]Cessna 172 Voice Profile[/a][a href=http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fs2004misc&DLID=60740]FSD Avanti Voice Profile[/a].You will need the main FREEWARE Flight Assistant program to use it, get it here:[a href=http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=genutils&DLID=39661]Flight Assistant 2.2[/a]

What an excuse to renew my membership also. :-)

Check your system and settings...mine loads the Chelton fine right out of the box :-)

<>No it doesn't. The AOPA Membership price is the same whether you DL the aircraft or not. It is a FREE BENEFIT for AOPA members.<>I certainly hope so..and why, exactly, shouldn't they?Regards,Jim

Loads fine for me too.

This is a TRULY outstanding add-on. One of THE best high performance singles available. The Chelton guages are spectacular. Flight dynamics are outstanding. Excellent stall characteristics.AOPA and Flight1 are both world-class organizations and this machine lives up the that standard.Congratulations to both organizations.Some, well one anyway...seem to be offended by ANYTHING that must be paid for (I wonder what product or service is provided free by the company certain people are employed by but that's another story.)But here are the economics.1. Join AOPA for $39.00 and get MUCH more value than that from just the magazine and massive on-line aviation database.2. Get an outstanding flight planner for free.3. Get all the approach plates for free.4. Get the Commander for free.ORJust assume that the AOPA membership is worth only $39.00 (silly but assume so anyway) and get the Commander for $14.00 assuming an average of $25.00 for such fine aircraft. A HUGE bargain any way you look at it.Regards,Jim

Jim-You are absolutely right. This is a wonderful first in our community. Of course, in addition to all the free services AOPA provides, the F1 aircraft is a great perk.However, I do see a little problem. Knowing that the F1 simulation of the Chelton system is not 100% accurate, there should be a disclaimer to AOPA pilots. I'm sure that there will be real pilots who will be shown the abilities of MSFS and talented programmers for the first time. We all know the disposition of real world pilots who demand 100% realism. I'd hate to think of them being turned away because of the hidden limits of the F1 aircraft. In fact, the most important components of the Chelton system are not simulated. There is no synthetic vision on the PFD as well as no terrain of the ND (expect for the LAX to LAS area). That is the big selling point of the Chelton compared to other glass cockpits.Mike

I've let people know on the AOPA forums regarding this limitation of the Terrain on the Chelton. Hopefully they will clarify this in their docs for future users.Not a Show-Stopper at all.Those Chelton's Rock. Great PFD and MFD, along with the HSI Features are great stuff.Thanks again AOPA.Regards,JoeGrab My FREEWARE Voice recognition Profiles here:[a href=http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fs2004misc&DLID=58334]Cessna 172 Voice Profile[/a][a href=http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fs2004misc&DLID=60740]FSD Avanti Voice Profile[/a].You will need the main FREEWARE Flight Assistant program to use it, get it here:[a href=http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=genutils&DLID=39661]Flight Assistant 2.2[/a]

<>Hi Mike,I'm not sure that I would agree that the components you mention are "the most important" ones but as far as RW pilot training is concerned once all the vast majority of features that are modeled are learned the others would be a snap to learn during actual TAA training.For us old steam guage guys, I really have had to get my nose in the manuals. Actually, one of my small claims to fame in aviation was having a Letter to the Editor published in Flying Magazine predictiing that all the PFDs and MFDs would WORSEN pilot safety until a learning curve was completed. It was published before the TAA regs were passed and later, Flying did a whole article showing that my theory was correct!(-:Regards,Jim