Here are my first flight impression with the A2A Piper Comanche I bought yesterday (with a big discount -more than 25 dollars- thanks to my old FSX purchases).

Very good first sensations: stable (perhaps too much), it trims very well, overall very pleasant to fly. Over time I will try the various options and systems, but the model seems very well done, welcome back A2A!

Anyway, flying and flying a few thoughts come to my mind: 

The "external driven" dynamics of the Comanche A2A are notably different from those of Fs2020, and are the subject of discussion in international forums, where they are generally appreciated but their diversity is recognized to the point that someone claims that "it is a new simulator"

I have always given great importance to dynamics and I am feeling this difference: the Comanche A2A is VERY stable, once trimmed she can be flown hands off, but sometimes she seems to go on a track...

I left the turbulence in the aircraft tablet on medium, the default setting.

I really like piloting this wonderful Comanche, only this great ease of handling leaves me a little perplexed and a small worm says to me "isn't it that the A2As have restored the dynamics of FSX or P3D?"

Please don't accuse me of blasphemy: I have a lot of faith in A2A since their old good times and I hope I'm wrong. Here we need a real pilot...

3 minutes ago, adler58 said:

 

 

I left the turbulence in the aircraft tablet on medium, the default setting.

I really like piloting this wonderful Comanche, only this great ease of handling leaves me a little perplexed and a small worm says to me "isn't it that the A2As have restored the dynamics of FSX or P3D?"

Please don't accuse me of blasphemy: I have a lot of faith in A2A since their old good times and I hope I'm wrong. Here we need a real pilot...

Is your turb' setting on realistic in the sim ? 

I had to handle a robust crosswind at take off and strong turbs with crosswind gusts a couple of times  and the Comanche was not so easy to handle then.

In any case, I certainly not mind not having the twitchy behaviour of some other aircraft.

12 minutes ago, Dominique_K said:

Is your turb' setting on realistic in the sim ? 

I had to handle a robust crosswind at take off and strong turbs with crosswind gusts a couple of times  and the Comanche was not so easy to handle then.

In any case, I certainly not mind not having the twitchy behaviour of some other aircraft.

Thanks Dominique! So the turbulence level setting in Fs20 does influence the Comanche's handling even if she is based on an external FD engine. My present Fs20 turb setting is the minimum: I will try to increase to medium or realistic for this airplane.

In conclusion, the air physics are governed by Fs20 even for the A2A Comanche, while the airplane flight dynamics are governed by the A2A external FD engine: is this assumption correct?

6 minutes ago, adler58 said:

Thanks Dominique! So the turbulence level setting in Fs20 does influence the Comanche's handling even if she is based on an external FD engine. My present Fs20 turb setting is the minimum: I will try to increase to medium or realistic for this airplane.

In conclusion, the air physics are governed by Fs20 even for the A2A Comanche, while the airplane flight dynamics are governed by the A2A external FD engine: is this assumption correct?

From my own experience and reading the forums, the ideal configuration is Realistic in the sim, and Medium in the Comanche tablet. Both are needed.

I am not an expert but your description sounds correct. A2A has programmed what they call "A brand new external aerodynamics engine" but they need a medium to interact with it and it can't be but FS20 air physics. The manual says "Turbulence is based on current MSFS turbulence levels, so turbulent air must be present in MSFS  for this effect to be visible"

It was mentioned in this thread that A2A recommend the turbulence in game setting to be 'Realistic', there was a link to a post on their forum about it.

It's the constant shaking of MSFS simulation that is not realistic, not the Comanche being too stable. 

Stupid question: how can the camera be moved around when in walk-around mode? E.g. to look into the wing fuel tanks? I know that it easily works with a headtracker, but without?

44 minutes ago, AnkH said:

Stupid question: how can the camera be moved around when in walk-around mode? E.g. to look into the wing fuel tanks? I know that it easily works with a headtracker, but without?

The mouse works? Click and drag and it will rotate the camera around the fixed walk around point 

3 minutes ago, JonathanC said:

The mouse works? Click and drag and it will rotate the camera around the fixed walk around point 

Think he's talking about looking into the fuel tanks, which requires walking forward or being able to bend your head forward, not just rotating around on a fixed axis. When they are below full, you can't actually confirm fuel level visually with the current system and just the mouse, to my knowledge.

Edited July 24, 20232 yr by Sethos

Is anyone able to test the Beacon lights like OM-MM etc on the panel, by pushing on the lights to see if they light with the mouse?

 

Just found the answer, you have to hold left click over the lights and then press right click at the same time to test the lights. 

Edited July 24, 20232 yr by Bobsk8

6 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

Is anyone able to test the Beacon lights like OM-MM etc on the panel, by pushing on the lights to see if they light with the mouse?

No, they turn to dim but do not push in so do not seem to be testable. I wonder if this is a click-spot bug.

2 minutes ago, Cognita said:

No, they turn to dim but do not push in so do not seem to be testable. I wonder if this is a click-spot bug.

Just found the answer, you have to hold left click over the lights and then press right click at the same time to test the lights. 

That worked! Thank you.  I wonder what the logic of that is.

Just now, Cognita said:

That worked! Thank you.  I wonder what the logic of that is.

I  have no idea. Had them confused on the A2A forum for a bit, too, until Nick figured it out. 

4 hours ago, adler58 said:

Here are my first flight impression with the A2A Piper Comanche I bought yesterday (with a big discount -more than 25 dollars- thanks to my old FSX purchases).

Very good first sensations: stable (perhaps too much), it trims very well, overall very pleasant to fly. Over time I will try the various options and systems, but the model seems very well done, welcome back A2A!

Anyway, flying and flying a few thoughts come to my mind: 

The "external driven" dynamics of the Comanche A2A are notably different from those of Fs2020, and are the subject of discussion in international forums, where they are generally appreciated but their diversity is recognized to the point that someone claims that "it is a new simulator"

I have always given great importance to dynamics and I am feeling this difference: the Comanche A2A is VERY stable, once trimmed she can be flown hands off, but sometimes she seems to go on a track...

I left the turbulence in the aircraft tablet on medium, the default setting.

I really like piloting this wonderful Comanche, only this great ease of handling leaves me a little perplexed and a small worm says to me "isn't it that the A2As have restored the dynamics of FSX or P3D?"

Please don't accuse me of blasphemy: I have a lot of faith in A2A since their old good times and I hope I'm wrong. Here we need a real pilot...

Compared to my experience flying real ga aircraft it feels spot on.  Any time the winds are above 10 kts especially mid day a light airplane becomes a handful and gets quite bumpy, especially below the cloud deck where you have thermals in addition to the wind driven turbulence.  When the air is smooth and the aircraft is in perfect trim, the real aircraft feels like its on rails as well, infact even smoother than rails.  You dont even know you are moving.  So to me the comanche looks and feels almost identical to what ive experienced flying real single engine ga aircraft, the only thing missing is the g forces and control forces, so in that regard I would say the real thing is easier to fly.  Light Airplanes are naturally very stable and easy to fly in calm air.

Edited July 24, 20232 yr by Pilot53