Vans MD80s not worth money IMO

[Guest]

I don't know how it happened but somehow I got lured into buying a Vansair MD-82 this morning after seeing a news item on flightsim.com. I've always liked the MD-80s and have never been competely satisfied since MadDog. This one was reported to have a "dynamic virtual cockpit", which is a major selling point for me because I use Tracker IR. The pics looked respectable so I bought it - despite having serious misgivings about giving credit card information to a Mexican web site. Well, I can say the plane looks great from the outside but click on the "s" key once and you'll be treated to the default 737 2D panel. Gad! I'd forgotten how ugly that was!! Press "s" again and you are in the 3D cockpit. No wonder the pics on the site were taken far back from the pilot's seat. The resolution is simply horrible! And dynamic? Not one gauge moves as far as I can tell. It's just the ole' FS2K type VC! Trying to take off, I'd be tempted to say the flight model is just the default 737 as well. The model I purchased was the Alaska Air model. If someone has had a more positive I'd love to hear about it. Otherwise, my final comment - doh!David

[Guest]

I am just as disapointed. They really made it look as though it had a VC. Using them for A1 is out of the question as well, since you get about have the frame rate on the outside view of the default 737. I really feel ripped off. $10.- a plane is not cheap.

[Guest]

This reminds me of the review on the avsim front page. Once upon a time there were many competant freeware authors who were respected by all and gave good freeware. Then they went commercial and offered rather half baked payware for their own gain :( I have seen the vans md80, and while it looks visually good, there are no working reversers, and the cockpit is not included.You know, there are many products just like this, as people see $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$I just download freeware these days cuz you can remove it from your disc f.o.c :) I see some great payware on occasion, but I also see many half baked offerings from past freeware authors.

[Hornit 3]

My Delta MD-88 (Vans) has reversers that work just fine. After landing deploy the speedbrakes and hit reverse thrust...reversers work just fine. I have to say i think a lot of folks are spoiled by the quality of some of the freeware available. If you want an accurate MD-88...not an 80/82 etc, then this is the only game in town. The textures are nicely weathered and the shape of the 3d model is correct. I thought it was worth 10$ to have an acurate MD-88. See some other threads about this aircraft to see the cockpit I am using for it. There are some decent add-on panels for it. This coupled with some quality sounds make a very nice package IMHO. 10$ is NOT a whole lot to pay for a quality 3D model IMHO.Hornit

[Guest]

Yeah, but VansAirCo has no excuses for advertising as 'DVC' an aeroplane which clearly does not have one! (I didn't get it...I'm just listening to the people above) A DVC is a major selling point and a lie is a lie, and in this case, sadly, a lie which has cost some unlucky people $10. And no panel or sounds? Sounds like an example of some REALLY poor freeware! ALso, if you want accurate 3-D models, you would be hard pushed tobeat the HJG 707 or DC-8, or the EFG F100, or the FFG DC-10, or the CSi MD-11......the list goes on. Payware like this....sucks.http://mysite.freeserve.com/fs/sig.jpghttp://mysite.freeserve.com/fs

[Hornit 3]

Well thats your opinion. Personally I don't think it sucks and Im happy to have a decent looking MD88. By the way I have all those other freeware things you mentioned. By the way, no where on thier site could i find where it says it has a DVC. Just a plain old VC, which I agree isn't great but i dont care that much really:)Hornit

[MadDog 353]

Hornit,Glad you're happy with the '88.By the way, I've got this excellent beach-front property in Arizona that I thought you might be interested in... the sand around the kiddy pool is some of the finest in the world!Seriously, advertising a Static VC as a Virtual Cockpit when dynamic VCs are the current standard is just plain fraudulent! Did Papa Tango change his name to Van? Enquiring minds want to know....Regards,Marc

[ErnieAlston 33]

>Seriously, advertising a Static VC as a Virtual Cockpit when dynamic >VCs are the current standard is just plain fraudulent! I don't agree, there's nothing fraudulent about it. If a buyer makes that assumption it is the buyer who is in error.You're making a mountain out of a molehill.Regards.Ernie.

[Hornit 3]

Mad Dog, The VC in the Vans jet looks like all the other VC's I see for a whole lot of other downloads. Nowhere on the Van's site does it say its dynamic. If it does I couldn't find it. They have a huge screenshot of the VC right on the front of thier web page so i knew what I was getting. I guess im just not cheap:) Mountain out of a mole hill for sure! Caveat emptor!Hornit

[Guest]

I don't see anywhere anything that adresses your complaints. I don't see anywhere on the site that Vans advertised for a DVC, nowhere does it say there are sounds included, and nowhere does it say that they included a panel. Full moving parts, high resolution textures, lights effects, main door and stairs operative, spoilerons, reversers and flexible wings.Looks to me like theres no meniton of DVC, but I may be blind.Many companies sell only visual models because they don't have the people to make panels and sounds. Complaining about missing sounds and panels that arent included, when not advertised, shows a huge lack of research into the item you bought. Learn a lesson from this purchase, theres something called reasearch. Before I buy any item i make sure to research whats included, find hi-res pictures (if the authors don't have any then I will ask someone I know who has it to take some, or just come here). And make sure you read a description they give. I haven't bought any payware i'm dissapointed in, and I follow this particular plan.Scott

[Guest]

David,... so what you are REALLY saying is don't trust any news items at flightsim.com as they could very well mislead you into parting with your hard earned $$ yes ???? :)Maybe then you have a recourse thru your credit card Company (insurance?) to recover your money?And I suggest maybe posting your dissatisfaction message at flightsim.com and contacting the editor of that particular news article....just a suggestion!

[Guest]

Actually, it was the original news release on flightsim.com that mentioned the dynamic VC. I did slightly more homework than I've done for some impulse buys but obviously not enough. $10 isn't a lot of money but it's more than I'd be willing to spend on this product.David

[Guest]

I don't believe he's being cheap at all - the Van's pack is poop. I emailed them shortly after firing it up for the first time - no slams, just a straightforward feedback letter and have yet to receive a response - not an acknowlegement, instructions to kiss their a## - nothing, nada, zip. And - he's not the only one with non-working thrust reversers - Van's has yet to address that as well. Anyways - people that complain about crappy payware aren't necessarily cheap - they are simply telling it like it is.

[Guest]

Is he not just posting his criticisms which would obviously be relative to his own particular expectations, which he lists, all of which is extremely useful to those of us who buy a lot of payware?It's not the New York Times ... I won't not buy something because of one review and I see nowhere any reason that it has to be objective and well informed -- in fact, the lack of this, the free exchange, is what I thought defined a forum like this. I just think it's nice someone took the time to rant, even if most rants are exagerations.Just hope we're not close to attacking someone for posting disappointment. The important thing is that the responses give the balanced picture, so I know if I want a great, accurate visual, this is the product. If I'm looking to add to my fleet without aliasing, this is not it.Mountain outta a molehill on all sides, I think....and speaking of rants ;)michael