Ahh! You are all starting to convince me to get this.... I have successfully diffused any inclination to get the 220, but this one is still lingering around my mind and I keep going to check out the videos on Just Flights website.

Impressions after my first flight (KMPI - KMYF). As I had thought I would, I went ahead with the old school avionics for my first flight, though I chose not to tackle the funky (in a good way!) RNAV right out of the chute. I'll get to that in later flights. So...

I'm sure some will feel otherwise, but I LOVE the very unique avionics. It's just nice not to see the same ol' stuff. The AP is, as documented, very simple but does have its quirks, in particular the altitude and vertical speed settings thumbwheels and their associated barometer setting. The barometer only goes one place past the decimal point so you need to round up or down as appropriate to keep your altitude from being too far off. The NAV mode likes to occasionally disconnect for no particular reason that I can find when tracking a radial - and yes, I do know how to properly use an AP to track a VOR radial. Did it IRL for years in the pre-GPS days. Don't think it's either user error or a system bug, but rather a characteristic of this AP. Will be interested to see what it does with a GPS - eventually when I stop having my old school fun. That RNAV still calls after all.

I rather like the digital CDI, but not sure about the stand-alone ILS unit. I didn't fly an approach on this beautiful VMC day, but did enable it for my landing on 28R which does have an ILS. Maybe I'll like it better when I actually shoot an approach. Oh, and that funky analog DME is a hoot as well.

And the sounds. These have to be some of the best sounds ever done for a piston single. The layered cold startup sounds in particular are simply wonderful. Do yourself a favor and fly this one with a quality pair of 5.1 headphones. It rocks!

And finally - gee Scott, are you gonna get to the "how does it fly" part? Well yes, and very nicely thanks! As I was aware - it's no rocket ship. Flying out of a somewhat high-hot airport, even flying the turbo normalized variant, was as expected. I trued out at about 158 knots at 10,000' on this warm day, which is respectable. Getting out the O2 cannulas and going higher will net better speeds, of course but I wasn't in a hurry today. Landed with about 7 knots of xwind component and the landing was fine as well. Can't really comment on landings too much after a grand total of one, however.

The Bonanza has come up several times here as being too similar, and let me just say that this is NOT that, and I mean that as a compliment. This is its own thing in all the best ways. Simple DG and attitude indicator, old school and very unique avionics (though you can, of course slot in your favorite magenta-line creator) all contribute to a very different feeling aircraft, as does the flight modeling.

My guess is that not everyone is gonna love this, but many will, especially RW piston GA folks of a certain age. Count me among those. I like it - a lot!

Scott

Edited Wednesday at 09:37 PM2 days by tttocs

1 hour ago, UrgentSiesta said:

But then I remembered I already have a Hi Fi aerobatic addon that I don’t fly often enough (and never as an aerobat until now(!)).

I picked up the new DSD simulations Vortex aerobatic plane, it’s great, it’ll do that thing where they hang off the prop and hover.

I don’t really know much about aerobatics but I picked it up as A) I wanted to support the developer , and B) I wanted to check out their quality of flight modelling ( it’s good by the way) Because C) looking on their website they’re developing a BAC Jet Provost and ……The BAC TSR-2 !!

Dupe

Edited Wednesday at 10:08 PM2 days by UrgentSiesta
Stupid server tricks.

25 minutes ago, Bennet Hill said:

To me, a 114 and an A36 couldn't be more different but to each their own. I'm certainly very impressed with it so far and I think it will remain my favorite even if the new features comes to the Bonanza Pro.

35 minutes ago, JYW said:

Absolutely.

The same people who will pay $70 just to get a 737-700 external model of exactly the same airliner (PMDG) they already own will say "There's no point in getting the Commander, I already have a piston single; the Bonanza" 😄

For me, the new Commander 114 sits at the very top of the GA aircraft for 2024 league, in joint 1st position with the A2A Comanche.

1. A2A Comanche / Black Square Commander 114

2. Black Square Bonanza

3. COWS DA-42

4. Black Square Baron

5. FSW Legacy (G3X panel only! 😉)

6. COWS DA-42

7. FSW Beech Sierra C24R

8. Black Square Dukes

9. FS Reborn TL-3000 Sirius

10. Flyboy Simulations Rans S6S Coyote II

My name is Urgent and I’m an addon-aholic.

What I’ve been doing for awhile now is ask myself what I’d really be getting from a new addon that I don’t have in the ones I already own.

And the answer is usually “not much”.

This is mainly driven by the fact that I love aircraft of all shapes and sizes and (especially) eras - from the Aerolite ultralight to the SR-71, and from Spads & Dr-1’s up through F-35’s & B-2’s.

And helicopters - did I mention those? ❤️😎❤️

So, yeah, I’ve got a LOT of addons spread across a number of sims. When I consider that I already have the Comanche, (soon) both Lancair Legacy’s, and quite a few other Hi Fi’s, the 114 just doesn’t move the needle for me to click “Buy”.

I do appreciate experiencing that, as usual, Nicks latest addons are always legit improved over his previous ones, but at the end of the day, this is still just another six cylinder 150ish kts family sedan at heart.

just don’t try to talk me out of the next Hi Fi warbird to come along - it’s gonna be a FIGHT!! 🤣🤙

29 minutes ago, jon b said:

The BAC TSR-2 !!

Be still my beating heart!!!💓

I’m gonna check out the one you mentioned 🤙

My fav so far for flying sportbikes is the SimCoders Marchetti SF 260 in XP. Though it’s been around awhile, it’s aging like fine wine - AND it just got some major systems upgrades! 😁

37 minutes ago, tttocs said:

And the sounds. These have to be some of the best sounds ever done for a piston single. The layered cold startup sounds in particular are simply wonderful. Do yourself a favor and fly this one with a quality pair of 5.1 headphones. It rocks!

Thanks for the review. I was curious what people thought. I agree about the sounds! Sounds can really make or break an addon.

48 minutes ago, jon b said:

I picked up the new DSD simulations Vortex aerobatic plane, it’s great, it’ll do that thing where they hang off the prop and hover

It’s got a window in the floor - must have!!!

I’ve never had an Unlimited - this could be the first one 😎

1 hour ago, UrgentSiesta said:

this is still just another six cylinder 150ish kts family sedan at heart

The turbo provides a comfortable 176kts TAS at FL150 with recommended cruise power settings (75%).

I took a 3 hour flight from the south of Germany, near Munich (Leutkirch) up to Breda in the Netherlands, on the north sea coast. (2 new addon airport acquisitions!). I was at about 75% of max weight. 176 TAS in the initial cruise, and crept up to 181kts as I became lighter. However, I had a 50kt headwind, so 122kts GS and flight time extended from 2hrs 40mins to 3 hours! 😄

So comfortable in the 114 though. A nice tall cockpit for my 6' 3" frame and mine and the co-pilot's shoulders were never less than 8" away from each other. 😎

Edited Wednesday at 11:45 PM2 days by JYW

@JYW Great flight report!

Is there simbrief profile for AC114?

Finally got the chance to download and install at 5am today - this really is a masterpiece. Chosen my livery and panel layout - my aircraft.

Now on a long cross country flight in the TC and very, very happy 🙂

7 hours ago, JYW said:

The turbo provides a comfortable 176kts TAS at FL150 with recommended cruise power settings (75%).

I took a 3 hour flight from the south of Germany, near Munich (Leutkirch) up to Breda in the Netherlands, on the north sea coast. (2 new addon airport acquisitions!). I was at about 75% of max weight. 176 TAS in the initial cruise, and crept up to 181kts as I became lighter. However, I had a 50kt headwind, so 122kts GS and flight time extended from 2hrs 40mins to 3 hours! 😄

So comfortable in the 114 though. A nice tall cockpit for my 6' 3" frame and mine and the co-pilot's shoulders were never less than 8" away from each other. 😎

I’m truly happy you guys like it. ❤️

13 hours ago, JYW said:

...

1. A2A Comanche / Black Square Commander 114

2. Black Square Bonanza

3. COWS DA-42

4. Black Square Baron

5. FSW Legacy (G3X panel only! 😉)

6. COWS DA-42

7. FSW Beech Sierra C24R

8. Black Square Dukes

9. FS Reborn TL-3000 Sirius

10. Flyboy Simulations Rans S6S Coyote II

Come on Bill! You are that dizzy about your new toy that you are losing it.

You can't have the COWS DA-42 at both number three and number six. 😀

I genuinely want to know what your other plane would be to make the numbers up.

1 minute ago, bobcat999 said:

Come on Bill! You are that dizzy about your new toy that you are losing it.

You can't have the COWS DA-42 at both number three and number six. 😀

I genuinely want to know what your other plane would be to make the numbers up.

😄I noticed that about 20 minutes ago, with a cup of coffee. But of course I can't edit the post now 😊

So, the DA-42 is correct at #3 and #6 should be COWS' other beauty, the DA-40 👍